The White Fury
by E.FWriter
Summary: Eight years after the death of Stoic the Vast, Hiccup is running the village with his wife, Astrid. They have only one heir to the chiefdom of Berk, their daughter, Akalya- the next 'hiccup' the village has to endure. With little to do and hardly any friends, Akalya takes her life into her own hands and ends up crashing upon what she believes to be... a White Night Fury.
1. The Prologue

So... you've stumbled upon my work! Welcome my fellow dragon riders! Let me start first by introducing myself. My name is Elisabeth, but my pen name here is EFWRiter. I have two major works published on this site, both are HTTYD related. I am currently a film major in college and have been writing since... well, since I could write. I run a roleplay website with over 30 members. Check it out if you love to write as much as I do! → Google _Tres In Unum_ on freeforums (apparently it won't let me share a link).

I started this story my freshman year of high school. I'm now a freshman in college and let me tell you I've changed a lot since I've published the first chapter to this story and things have gotten in my way. They have prevented me from finishing this story… but I want to do right by you, my readers, and my characters. I'd like to make an honest piece of work out of this idea. That means that I have to make renovations and I plan to update and edit as much as possible.

Some of you, who have read this story (twice) may be saying to yourself, "Ye gods not another rewrite!" Don't worry! I'm not changing anything major, which means if you remember the story and you've kept with it this long, you DO NOT have to go back and reread the chapters. I just updated my style… with age my style has changed and I'd like this story to remain pretty consistent.

Now, finally, due to my inconstant absences I will be trying to wrap up this story faster than originally planned. This means longer chapters and (hopefully) more frequent updates. Please don't hold my word to that. Life gets in the way of a lot of things… writing unfortunately happens to be one of them.

Anyways, without further ado… let's see if I can make an honest reader out of you. Please enjoy _The White Fury_!

P.s. The name of the central character is Akalya (Uh-Kal-Yuh).

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY**

 **THE PROLOGUE**

It's been fourteen years since dragons were a problem on this island. They have been challenged time and time again but every time they have have conquered and they have persevered. Berk was made stronger by the inclusion of the reptile race. But that doesn't mean it was without consequence. It was hard for the rest of the world to accept dragons as moral creatures, which caused more than a few wars in their lifetime.

Eight years ago, Berk suffered a tragic loss. The loss of their very own Chief, Chief Stoick, in the great war between dragons. Since that loss, Berk has grown into more than just a stable island. Under the leadership of the predecessor's son, Hiccup, Berk has expanded beyond the realm of what they thought possible. He remained forever vigilant for the great dragon war was hardly ever. Drago and his defeated alpha left the island, but their reappearance was always a constant factor in the island's defense mechanisms.

Several things changed since the death of their previous chief. Being chief has it's good points and it's sorry points. Power was not something given and handled easily. Hiccup was forced to travel a lot. His travels brought them good fortune. He brought treasures back from other islands, ideas and machines that made life easier. Home, he brought weapons, mattresses, windows, and various metals. But he missed out on several things back at home. Things that mattered to a young man and the family he dutifully created.

It would appear that things were simpler for the other 'original' dragon riders of Berk.

Ruffnut finally finished fooling her suitors and settled for Snotlout the first year after Stoick's death. Snotlout was anointed a seat on the Chief's council and Ruffnut remained a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her twins, Ingrid and Rufflout. Another year went by and the Jorgenson family welcomed another bundle of joy into their home, Huffthorn. To Berk, the couple seemed miserable, but in fact, they lived a quiet and happy life… together.

Fishlegs made peace with Ruffnut's decision. The same year of the Jorgenson marriage, Fishlegs met Helga, the baker's daughter, a plump little blonde woman from the poorest part of the island. She was attracted to knowledge and Fishlegs was attracted to her beautiful curiosity. The same year they were married Helga gave birth to their only daughter, Mae Ingerman. While Helga took over the family business and ran the bakery by the docks, Fishlegs took on the responsibility of keeping and updating the island's archives and frequently visiting the school for mandatory lessons.

Tuffnut, meanwhile, had a change-of-life experience after the war with Drago. Shortly after they touched base back on Berk, he met a traveller from the Scandinavian islands south of theirs. They called her Iris and, for some reason unknown to the residents of Berk, she fell for Tuffnut's 'charm' and they married only a week after the Jorgenson's certified their union. Iris gave birth to a little girl at the end of the year. Unfortunately, due to complications with the birth, Iris lost her life. Tuffnut named his only daughter Little Iris after his deceased lover. He never remarried, but instead moved in with his sister and her family.

Gobber remains a constant presence on the island. He still runs the blacksmith shop at the corner of the island. He continued to meet Valka every once in a while to support the Dragon Academy with their training. Hiccup gratefully allowed Gobber to continue working for the council and his position remained forever prestigiously placed.

Eret, Son of Eret, decided to remain on Berk. He took over the sole care of Stoick's dragon, Skullcrusher, and was welcomed a seat on Hiccup's council. Eret continued the trading business while on the island and finds himself travelling with Hiccup on chiefly duties. When he is on the island, Eret is in charge of patrol duties. He never married, but he took an important role in the dragon rider's lives and their children's.

Valka decided to stay in Berk. She and Cloudjumper moved their 'business' to the island and even opted to extend their knowledge to the overwhelming population. A new school was built that would educate children aged seven to fifteen. The system was built on equal scales and both boys and girls were taught the basics of mechanics and language, domestic duties, and, of coarse, dragon riding. Valka was named Headmaster and Fishlegs would often make a guest appearance during dragon exercises.

Berk's residents, by all appearances, seemed perfectly placed. But, there was more underneath the roof of the Haddock household then the public was allowed to see. Hiccup and Astrid were rushed into their marriage only a few months after the death of his father. Their daughter was born six months later. Akalya would be their only daughter- their only child. But she would be enough to keep them busy for years to come...

* * *

Disclaimer :: I do not own any rights to HTTYD and this story has no association with the production company or it's writers.

Word Count :: 1,1224


	2. Behind Closed Doors

Thanks for taking an interest in _The White Fury_ and moving on to the first official chapter of the story. Now, I present to you "Behind Closed Doors". Let's meet the Chief and his loving family, shall we?

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY**  
 **CHAPTER ONE :: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS**

An ambitious scream shattered the very foundation of the Haddock hut and a terrified little seven-year-old could be seen running down the stairs, hopping from plank to plank in a purposeful maneuver to avoid specific spots of the floor until she touched down at the bottom at the stairs. Her feet were planted firmly on the ground and she stopped to survey her surroundings. The hut had yet to wake up. She jumped from one plank to the next until she had made her way through the kitchen and was at the closed door to the master bedroom. She pushed open the wooden door and threw herself inside, quickly slamming the door shut behind her and relaxing against the frame once she was safely inside.

Her breathing slowed. She looked around the room. It was a complete devastating mess. The floor was dressed in various silks and furs that were meant to dress the bed. She could see her father's hand draped over the edge of the mattress, but she was too low to see his face. The child jumped to another board in the room and then another until she could land safely on a pile of furs next to the bed. After careful consideration, she crawled up onto the bed and wiggled her way to the head of the mattress so that she was sitting directly between both of her parents.

"Mom?" She shook the sleeping figure to her left. An unintelligible moan escaped the figure's vocals. "Mama, this is serious!" The child's voice rose above normal frequency.

"Akalya," the figure shifted from underneath the sheets and turned to face her daughter. A grin presented itself on the child's lips. "Isn't there somewhere else you can play?" Her mother opened her eyes slowly, blinking as they adjusted to the light. Her mother was famous for her sapphire blue irises. Unmistakably, those were the eyes of Astrid Hofferson.

Akalya shook her head violently, knocking the braid from her blonde hair. "Daddy said if there was ever an emergency I should come to you." Her eyes were wide and full of mystery.

Astrid shifted her physique and sat up in the bed so quick that it made her head reel. "What emergency?"

Akalya sat back, taking in the urgency of her mother's voice. "The house is infested," she said seriously and without much inflection other than her overly enunciated consonants. "With lava."

Akalya was the tiniest child on Berk. Her hair was blonde like Astrid's, but her eyes were green like Hiccup's. She had every characteristic of her mother: the button nose, the tiny physique, the straight mouth and rosy cheeks; but she was every bit like Hiccup in persona. Her puerile games and tricks were every bit like her father's. Her wild and risky adventures were enough to send any mother into insanity. Especially a mother like Astrid.

"Akalya," Astrid took a long pause, breathing in a wave of air before she felt the urge to yell. "The sun's not even in the sky yet. This couldn't wait just a few more hours-"

"Hours?" Akalya threw her fists on the bed. "Do you know what lava can do in just a few hours?"

Astrid's face flattened into a scowl. "Actually, I do."

"Clearly you don't." Akalya crossed her arms over her chest and bared her emerald irises into her mother's sapphire ones until Astrid finally gave in and a smile took over her scowl.

"You're still in trouble," Astrid assured her. The smile only grew.

"So, you're not going to do anything about the lava?"

Astrid shook her head and playfully shoved the child away, knocking her into Hiccup's dormant body. The position of his body and the lack of weight that relied on the mattress caused Hiccup to fall onto the ground with a thud. Both Akalya and Astrid froze, looked to each other, and then scrambled to peer over the side of the bed. Not until they heard a disgruntled moan come from the body did they fall back into a helpless giggle.

"Ha. Ha." He grumbled, slowly rising from the ground. Once he hopped back to the bed, Hiccup reached for the silk shirt that lay in a wrinkled heep on the ground. He slipped it over his head and hopped back up to his foot. "What are you doing in here so early anyways?"

Akalya shifted her position to face him as he moved across the room with his metal foot now securely attached to his stub. She opened her mouth to respond, but her mother was the one who answered.

"It would appear that our daughter has found an infestation." Astrid had since laid back against the pillow and stared at the ceiling. "Of lava."

Akalya nodded in confirmation.

Hiccup removed the nightshirt from his torso and replaced it with a cream-coloured tunic and a leather vest. His flying suit could be seen hanging over a chair at the end of the room. That suit hadn't seen the outside world in an unexplainably long time. "Well," Hiccup looked at the ceiling and then at the floor. "I think we're safe now."

Akalya pouted, "I'm being serious."

"Hmmm," Astrid hummed, sitting back up, her lips curling into a smirk.

"One day there's going to be lava and you'll be sorry because you didn't believe me." Akalya waggled her eyebrows and crossed her arms her chest, snubbing her mother's sad lack of imagination. Astrid rolled her eyes only half-heartedly before she pulled her daughter into her lap with one arm wrapped around her waist. Akalya's eyes widened, "Hey!"

Astrid didn't say a thing. She tugged at the hair on her daughter's scalp and began to comb through those blonde locks with her fingers until all the tangles were out and it was easy to put into a braid. Somewhere in between this, Hiccup had managed to get fully dressed and was making his way back over to the bed while straightening his sleeve. "I'm going to go make my rounds before she's off to school."

"School?" Akalya looked panicked, but neither of her parents cared to notice.

"I'll see you in a few," Hiccup leaned over Astrid and planted a quick peck on her lips or at least it should've been. Astrid dropped one hand from Akalya's braid and tugged on his shirt, pulling him back to her lips for a purposefully lingering kiss before releasing her hold.

Akalya made an obnoxiously loud gagging noise with her throat, "Um… ew!"

Astrid's smile remained content as Hiccup started to walk towards the door. Akalya followed him with her eyes."Hey!" She tried to follow on her own feet, but her hair was still in her mother's grasp. She was pulled right back into place. Not without some pain rivetting through her skull first. "Ow." She grumbled.

Hiccup turned around, "You can't come this time. You have to get ready for school."

"That's not what I'm hey-ing you about," Akalya protested just as Astrid tied her braid and set it off to the side of her shoulder. "You're forgetting me!"

"Forgetting you?" He played confused. Akalya didn't get it. She looked back at her mother, sorely offended. Astrid had her hands in her own mangled mess of golden waves, but she still managed to give her daughter a shameless shrug in acknowledgement.

"She got a goodbye!" Akalya declared, referring to the disgusting display of affection in her response.

Hiccup nodded, "Right. Well," he cleared his throat and turned back around, seemingly making his way out the door. "C'mon, I'll say goodbye to you at the door."

"Wait! I can't touch the floor, remember?" But Hiccup was already out the door.

Astrid slithered out of bed. Her hair was now delicately decorated with a single braid and thrown over one shoulder, mimicking the one she did for her daughter. She looked to her daughter, but kept moving. Akalya's mouth fell open in disbelief as she watched her mother walk away. "Mama…" She started to whine in protest.

Astrid stopped in the middle of the room. She remained facing the door, wrestling with the idea of making her daughter walk across the perfectly durable floor or indulging in this puerile game that could only encourage more outlandish schemes later. In the end, Astrid was a mother and not a monster. She sighed to herself and turned back around, scooping up her daughter and holding her on her hip. "Don't get all smug. This does not mean you won." Astrid warned with a loving smile.

Akalya's mouth stretched into a smug smile.

xXx

Outside the hut was a unguarded fireplace and a shed that held all the firewood. Stormfly's den was programed into the side of the mountain, tucked quietly to the right of the shed. Across from her den was Toothless's cove, attached to the back of the hut, although, he rarely used it. Toothless, because of his slender physique, could sneak into the hut and sleep on Akalya's floor and most nights he opted to do so. The night before, however, Toothless was outside with his bird-like companion. In the morning they were squawking and warbling at each other in a playful manner.

Around the yard, Toothless circled the Deadly Nadder with an oversized tree branch in his maw. Stormfly stomped her feet as she spun around and around, following the Night Fury's every movement. All the while she squawked and gargled in frustration. The Night Fury's mouth seemed to carve a sorta smile, which only antagonised the Nadder further. As Toothless made a final loop around the Nadder, he missed his step and sent the branch flying across the yard. Stormfly extended her wings and hopped into the air so the branch wouldn't accidentally catch her legs. Once she touched down, Stormfly swatted her tail in Toothless's direction as a warning.

Toothless was ready to retaliate when the back door swung open and out walked the Chief. A roar of excitement erupted through the backyard and the boundful Night Fury galloped over to his master and bobbed his head under Hiccup's arm, pressing the weight of his cranium into the scrawny man's side.

"I missed you too, bud." Hiccup scratched the top of Toothless's head. Their union was shortly lived; Stormfly butted her beak in between the two. Hiccup acknowledged her with a chuckle and a little tickle under the chin. "You too, Stormfly." He tried to step forward, but the Night Fury blocked his path. "I'm not staying, bud. I'm just here for firewood." Those emerald eyes sunk and all sparkle was lost.

Toothless warbled in discontent, but dutifully stepped aside so Hiccup could get by. But there was no need. Stormfly came bounding over with a beak full of logs from the shed. She dropped them at his feet and nudged them closer to his person, looking up at him with a tilted head and sloppy grin.

"Thank you, Stormfly." Hiccup scratched the side of her cheek in gratitude before scooping up the firewood in his arms and carrying it inside, leaving the two dragons to continue their games.

The kitchen remained untouched, which meant that Astrid hadn't yet made it downstairs with Akalya. Hiccup rolled the wood into the fireplace until the flames roared up the chimney.

xXx

Akalya sat on the floor in her room staring up at the closet in front of her, swaying her eyes from each article of clothing dimly. She had had her outfit picked out for weeks. Astrid has taken the liberty of putting together three possible 'first-day-school' outfits and Akalya had made her choice. It was sprawled out in front of her with the boots and everything in a perfectly straight position. But still, she stood there staring at the closet instead of getting ready.

She could stay like this all day if she wanted to if it meant she didn't have to go to school. Akalya never liked school. It was her first year at the Dragon Academy, but the first years in primary school hadn't given her much hope for a better experience. The kids were mean. They were all so mean. If she could she would avoid them all together, she certainly would.

'Please don't make me go,' she breathed and threw her body back against the ground, extending her limbs from her torso and staring at the ceiling until her vision became blurry, forcing her to close her eyes.

"Well this seems productive."

Akalya opened her eyes to see her mother standing over her with her arms strategically placed on her hips. Akalya sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, using her arms to help her get back up on her feet. "Please don't make me go." She begged.

Astrid's eyes darted to the floor and Akalya sighed, again. It was about all she could manage. "C'mon," Astrid picked up an article from the floor and held it out to her daughter. "All you have to do is get dressed."

"As soon as I get dressed I have to go downstairs and as soon as I go downstairs I have to eat and as soon as I eat I have to say goodbye to daddy and as soon as I-"

"Okay!" Astrid held out her hands in front of her. "I get it. And then you have to go to school, right?"

Akalya nodded, "eventually."

There was an awkward moment where neither of them were willing to talk. Astrid knew that it wasn't easy for Akalya. Like her father, she struggled to fit in. Unlike her mother, Akalya wasn't externally driven to make herself popular either. But that didn't mean she didn't understand Akalya; it just meant they had very different attitudes when it came to school and the people that came with it.

"Close your eyes," Astrid commanded as she moved a little closer to her daughter and knelt down to her level. Akalya furrowed her brow, a little apprehensive, but she did as her mother asked and closed her eyes. "Your dad didn't like school either." Astrid continued. Little clinks and ruffles could be heard behind her voice. "He was awkward and clumsy and he screwed up… well, pretty much all the time." Akalya felt a sudden weight presented on her shoulders and the sound of metal clinking together echoed in her ears. She scrunched her eyes shut even tighter; the curiosity compelling her to open. "And on a few occasions, he embarrassed me at school. He got in my way. He interfered with... everything I did. I hated it. I hated him."

"This isn't helping me."

"No, but" Astrid continued. "I married him and he's the most beloved chief in the archipelago and he has you." Akalya felt her mother's hands on her forearms and she opened her eyes. Astrid smiled. "He wasn't any different than you. And now…"

"Now." Akalya repeated.

Astrid's hands fell from her daughter's physique and Akalya could finally acknowledge the change in weight that was on her shoulders. She reached to touch her shoulders, greeted by the softest sensation she'd ever encountered. It was then that her eyes fell on her mother, dressed down. Astrid had walked into the room in her typical attire: leather skirt, blue leggings, a ruby red shirt, and a fur hood that she tied to her metal armour. But she was missing her hood now.

She opened her mouth to ask a question, but she couldn't find the words.

"No one in your class will have one this nice," Astrid smirked. "It makes you look… older."

"Thanks, Mama."

"I'm very proud of you." Astrid continued. Though her face had changed. It was almost like she was trying to convince herself. "You know that, don't you?"

Akalya nodded.

"Good." Astrid leaned over to kiss her daughter's cheek. "Now finish getting dressed and join us for breakfast."

Astrid only assumed that Akalya would do what was asked of her. As soon as her mother left the room, Akalya contemplated locking herself in that room until the sun went down, but ultimately she couldn't let her mother down. She didn't want to be the next disappointment in Astrid's life. So, Akalya dressed and laced her mother's hood to her blue tunic and followed the path downstairs.

"I'm ready!" Akalya called out as she stumbled out of her room and started hopping down the stairs only to be hushed by her mother, who was crouched on the lower part of the staircase. Akalya slowed down and tiptoed to her mother's side. "What are you doing?" Akalya whispered.

Astrid held a finger to her lips and pointed with the other hand at Hiccup tentatively picking at the firewood to create the perfect flame. Akalya ducked her head lower, but high enough that she could see through the bars on the stairs as Astrid crept down to the bottom of the staircase and tiptoed on bare feet towards her husband. But she only got close enough for him to spin around and grab her by the waist, hoisting her up into the air.

"Ah," Astrid let out a tiny scream as Hiccup spun her ninety degrees so that she was the one with her back against the fire.

"I had a feeling you were going to do that," Hiccup grinned.

"Maybe you're not as sly as you used to be," Akalya chimed in as she paraded down the steps until she was standing beside them. "You've lost your touch."

Hiccup continued to keep an arm wrapped around Astrid's waist. He snuck a glance at his daughter, responding to her remark with a smirk. Then he turned his face back towards Astrid after which he pulled her body closer and stole a kiss from her lips.

Akalya gagged.

"Okay," Hiccup released his hold over Astrid. "I really need to go." His vocals slowed as his eyes drifted from her lips to her eyes.

"You're not even going to stay for breakfast?"

"I'll see you tonight." He gave her lips another quick peck.

"Okay," her voice was quiet had he not been standing directly next to her the confirmation would've been inaudible.

Hiccup turned his attention to the youngest Haddock in the room. She forced a smile as he approached her, bending down to one knee so that they were at eye level with each other. "Promise me you'll try today."

Akalya wasn't sure if she could lie to her father. "Okay…" Apparently, she could.

"Okay," his smile emphasised a sense of pity. "You're going to be fine." He kissed the top of her head.

"You only say that because you don't have to go."

Hiccup turned his head to find Astrid; they shared the same worried expression on their visage. It was hopeless at this point. Nothing Astrid or Hiccup said could sway her into another direction. But that doesn't mean they'd ever stop trying. Astrid was determined to make a Hofferson out of her daughter and Hiccup was determined to make a dragon master. Both had unreasonable expectations that could never be met. Not by Akalya Haddock.

xXx

There was only one Night Fury in existence. That Night Fury just happened to belong to her father. Akalya loved Toothless more than anything. If she had to choose between her parents and the dragon, she'd probably choose the dragon. Akalya was like her father in every way; Toothless complimented her the same way he complimented her father. In the academy, students took a test that would decide which breed of dragon was best suited to their person. She'd have to take that test when she turned thirteen, but she was afraid of the results. Akalya truly believed that she was destined to be paired with a Night Fury. But there was only one Night Fury in existence. And he happened to be walking right next to her.

"You don't need to walk me to school," Akalya skipped ahead as she kicked a stone down the dirt pathway. "I can walk alone."

Toothless narrowed his eyes and warbled sarcastically as if to mumble in disbelief.

He wasn't wrong. Akalya would run the first chance she got. "Fine. But the fact that I have my babysitter walking me to the doors of the academy is humiliating. Can you at least spare me that?"

Toothless shook his head.

"I thought you were supposed to be on my side."

The Night Fury hummed as if to apologise for his momentary betrayal. Akalya huffed. Even Toothless was against her. She slowed down her pace and staggered down the road with her head hanging from her shoulders. Toothless's deep emerald eyes sunk to the ground. He couldn't leave it like that. The Night Fury trotted back up to Akalya's side and nudged his nose into her torso, hitting the most ticklish part of her body.

"Hey!" Akalya erupted into laughter as Toothless continued to poke and prod at her until she fell over onto the ground. "Stop it!" She giggled, crossing her arms over her stomach and holding her sides for protection. "It's not fair!" Toothless patted her belly with his foot and then ran his wet, sloppy tongue over her face. "Okay! Okay! You win! You win!"

Toothless warbled in victory and stepped back from the seven-year-old. Akalya got to her feet and brushed herself off, but it wasn't much help now. She wiped the slobber from her cheeks with the edge of her shirt and then she tucked those ends into her skirt, hoping that no one would notice. "I hope you realise you ruined this perfectly good shirt. Mama's gonna kill you."

His responsive roar mimicked a laugh and he continued to trot alongside her.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," Akalya started as they neared the school. "I'll have… um… I'll have… no one." Akalya stopped. She couldn't do this. She just couldn't. "Toothless, please don't make me do this."

The Night Fury turned around. His eyes full of concern.

"They don't like me." Akalya reminded him. "Remember last summer when Stormfly and I crashed into Ingrid during her first flight test? She and her brother almost ripped me apart. Or when I spilled that cranberry mash all over Ingrid's new dress last Snoggletog? Ingrid Jorgenson hates me! She'll turn everyone against me…"

Toothless cooed as a way to sooth her, but it was no use. He wasn't about to get through to her. Not ever. Wobbling a little, Toothless made his way over to Akalya's side and nudged his nose under her hand.

"Please Toothless."

The Night Fury rumbled out of worry. On one wing he really didn't see the point on sending his little Akalya to a place where she would be tortured and belittled, but on the other wing he didn't want Hiccup and Astrid to ban him from taking her to school or taking her to the market or… taking her anywhere, spending time with her, helping her. Would they really take all that away from him? It was a possibility, but unlikely. He knew he didn't want to get in trouble, that's all. In the end, though, he valued Akalya's opinions and watching her go into a place where she was hated was the last thing he wanted so he gave in. He let her win.

Toothless lowered himself to the ground and motioned for Akalya to climb onto his back. She used his leg as a stepping stool and seated herself on the saddle that her father almost rarely took off. "Thank you, Toothless." She hummed and hugged her arms around his bulky neck. "You're the best." She kissed the top of his head; her face forever holding the perfect grin.

Toothless warbled blissfully as he maneuvered himself into the embrace. Then he began to gallop off the path and into the forest, away from the school and the other Berkian children.

"I promise. No one will even notice we're missing."


	3. More Than

While I do not focus my attention on 'smutty' delights in this specific story, I will make references to sex and sexual content starting with this chapter. Most of this story is centred around a family, but every family starts with... well, you get the point. This is still a story based around family and friendships so bare with me. Thank you, fellow dragon riders!

And now I present the second official chapter of _The White Fury_!

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY  
CHAPTER TWO :: MORE THAN**

This was a typical morning. Astrid rarely had the energy to leave the house anymore. She was trapped in that hut while her husband spent his entire day out in the village and her daughter spent the entire day with him or at school or with his mother. Sometimes she'd find the energy to take Stormfly out for a quick spin around the island or they'd fly to a secluded area outside of the everyday chaos of the village. Most of the time she preferred to be on her own. It wasn't always like that. Just recently she started to spend a lot of time alone.

Her mornings usually consisted of cleaning up after the family that disappeared when the sun came up. Akalya had left her things scattered all over the kitchen table. She hummed quietly to herself, listening to the sound of the rags scrub in rhythm with her unidentifiable tune. If she hadn't been in a complete daze she would've noticed that the front door of the hut had been opened and a trail of footsteps was creeping up behind her.

Astrid bent down, noticing that Akalya's ragdoll toys modelling Stormfly and Toothless were hiding under the kitchen table. She took careful care of the Nadder toy, stroking the lines that carved out its eyes. Her heart sunk a little. Her chest began to hurt and her stomach felt sink. "Gods…" she held her open palm to her core and breathed. Just then a pair of scrawny arms wrapped around her waist and covered her hand.

"What the-" Astrid forgot about the sickness building in her stomach and jerked away from the hold, spinning around and throwing her fist into the air, knocking her attacker in the chest.

"Ow!"

"Hiccup?" Astrid's eyes widened and she covered her gaping mouth with her hand.

The Chief held his hand to his chest and tried to straighten his grimace before he looked at Astrid. "Sorry," he groaned as the pain began to subside. "I should've known that was a dumb idea. My chest has had a permanent bruise since we were seventeen."

"What are you doing here anyways?" Astrid took a second to turn around and set the ragdoll on the table. "You're supposed to be scouting or strategising. That's what Chief's do, right?" Her tone was unfamiliarly condescending.

"You know what else Chief's do?" Hiccup chose to ignore it, moving closer to Astrid now that the pain had completely gone away in his chest. He reached out to hold her hips and pulled her nearer. "Their wives."

Astrid wrinkled her nose and rolled her eyes. "Clever." She shoved him away, climbing out of his arms and moving towards the other side of the table. Her demeanour had changed this morning. Her body was almost shaking. Everything about her was tense. Hiccup had only planned to relieve that tension.

"Astrid," he began as he followed her across the room, his arms grabbing at the air, but too afraid to touch her. She stopped at the end of the table. Resting her palms on the surface, Astrid leaned over the table with her head hung over her shoulders; her eyes closed. Hiccup slid behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his head against her, attempting to hug her from behind.

"Hiccup." It was meant to be a protest, but she ultimately gave in. Her head leaned back against him and she held his hands against her stomach. Hiccup's breathing became increasingly more erratic as he dared to be more adventurous, leaving little trails of kisses down the back of her neck and shoulder. "Hiccup." She pleaded again, but he wasn't listening. He brushed the braid from her shoulder and pulled at the fabric hiding her skin. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I've missed you." Hiccup mumbled into her neck.

Astrid's eyes fluttered open and she reached back with the opposite hand to pull the fabric back over her shoulder, immediately stopping Hiccup from going any further. "I've got stuff to do." She slid to the side and walked to the head of the table.

"Come on, Astrid…" Hiccup sighed. He wanted to venture closer, but he knew that it was a dangerous idea at this point. "It's been almost three months."

Astrid couldn't force her gaze to find his. It was locked on her hands. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Hiccup sighed. There was another awkward moment between the couple without either of them moving. That seemed to happen to them a lot lately.

"Don't you have somewhere to be? You're just wasting your time here."

Hiccup frowned, "Astrid." But she had already shut him out. He knew everything he said or was about to say was going to go right through her ears. That didn't stop him. "If you won't…" His voice grew shaky. "Then can you at least talk to me?"

"About what?"

"About this." He gestured to all of her.

"We've talked about it before. It doesn't do anything." Astrid reminded him.

"Yeah, but-"

"Hiccup, I'm not doing this again." She didn't raise her voice. She remained reasonably calm even though she could feel the blood begin to boil in her veins.

"Astrid-"

"Hiccup!"

They were staring at each other again, watching each other without flinching. It was a game to them: the first one to look away would lose the 'argument', if that's what this counted as. Hiccup was determined to get some answers and Astrid was determined to put everything behind her. They couldn't meet each other in the middle. It was unusual; the couple could usually find a common ground. There was no common ground here. Not now. Maybe not ever.

"Fine," Hiccup threw his hands. "I'm not arguing. I'm not dealing with this," he gestured to all of her, "right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Astrid crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes in his direction.

"I'm letting you win," he assured her. "Don't do this. Please." Hiccup sighed. It was hopeless. Turning on his heels, Hiccup started back towards the door.

Astrid's gaze followed the movement of his body and she felt every pang wrap around her heart and begin to twitch with guilt. She wasn't about to allow her husband to walk out, out into their island, with that look plastered to his face. "Hiccup." She circled around the table, finding herself suddenly at the centre of the room.

Hiccup turned his head.

"I'm sorry," she wasn't sure how much she could say she was sorry without it becoming meaningless. "I'm trying, I promise. Please don't go." She begged; it was so unbecoming, but necessary.

"Astrid," he turned around fully and met her halfway. His forehead clashed with hers. "I'm sorry. I was acting like… like a Chief and not so much a husband."

"That's what Chief's do." Astrid hummed, trying to arouse a smile from him. But he was still stuck on the almost 'argument'. She could see the guilt on his visage and wondered what he had deserved to feel that way. She touched her hands to his chest and found a smirk buried under her frown. "Do you know what else Chief's do?"

Hiccup's eyes shot open and he threw his head back away from hers. There was a sparkle in his vision and a smile on his lips to match Astrid's. Too scared to utter another word, Hiccup pressed his smile against hers and drew her in close; his tongue exploring the inside of her mouth lazily, but efficiently.

"Wait," Astrid hummed, "slowly."

Hiccup agreed with a gentle nod, but his mind was somewhere else. He urged Astrid deeper into the hut, his hands becoming the guides to her journey. She remained willing much to his surprise. The closer they grew to the bedroom, however, the slower her movements became and Hiccup felt her nails dig into his ribs. "Astrid?" He couldn't take his mouth away long enough to ask the full question. His actions were focused on her exposed skin.

"I'm fine," she promised as his mouth trailed down her jaw. "I want-" she was cut off by his lips finding hers again and suddenly her back was at the bedroom door.

 _Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock._

Hiccup's entire physique dropped and his lips fell from hers in an instant. "Oh for Thor's sake…" he mumbled, letting out an exasperated heep of air. He pushed himself off of Astrid and made his way to the front door. Astrid, meanwhile, took a moment to catch her breath before she had attempted moving.

Hiccup opened the front door only to see Gobber, hopping up and down, sweating and panting, on the front stoop. "Hiccup?" He looked surprised. "I wasn't expected you'd be here-"

"What's going on, Gobber?" Hiccup asked. Astrid peaked her head over her husband's shoulder.

"I came to get Akalya." He spoke as if they should've known.

"She's not with you?" Astrid asked. Her and Hiccup shared a brief glance; their eyes both the same width wide.

Gobber shook his head. "Valka… she said, she never showed up. I thought- I thought she'd be here." Gobber suddenly shared the same expression of the parents.

Astrid stepped into the doorframe, her gaze fell to Hiccup. The worry painted all over their expressions. "She never showed up." Astrid repeated.

She never showed up.

xXx

They sky had since cleared. The clouds were blown away and a bright blue horizon was revealed and awed by a dazzled young viking, who sat on the back of the Night Fury. Akalya stared at the sky with her arms gently stroking the top of her dragon's head. Toothless responded every once in a while with a warble of gratitude, but his focus remained on the path in front of him. He was thrilled to be out again; he sniffed every flower, examined every fallen tree, and greeted every animal that crossed their way. The dragon would look back at the child with a great grin on his muzzle, but his attention was soon swayed when he realised that Akalya's eyes were somewhere else. He had carved his own way through the forest until they reached a clearing where his rider could admire the crystal sky more clearly.

"What I wouldn't give to be up there." Akalya muttered to herself, but loud enough for the dragon to hear.

Toothless looked over his shoulder and rumbled in agreement. He raised his chin to the air and took a whiff of the sky as if that would somehow bring him closer, but ultimately he wasn't so naive to think that it was possible. The Night Fury lolled his head around to the side and attempted to find Akalya's gaze. He warbled in hope of gaining her attention.

"What?" Akalya asked, patting the side of his neck.

Toothless gave a groan of longing and of warning. He could tell what she was thinking without her saying a thing.

"Don't give me that," Akalya retorted. "I'm not going to do anything stupid." The viking looked behind her. Nothing ahead of her and nothing behind her but a long shadow of trees. They had travelled a long distance. There was no way they were going to get back before school was out. Her mother would worry if she was out any longer.

A buzz whizzed through the air and the Night Fury was drawn towards the noise. He clambered down the beaten path after the funny buzzing, making the ride a bit more rocky than the little seven-year-old could handle. "T-toothless…" she stuttered as she clung to his neck to keep from falling off but that was only an aid and not a strategy. Akalya slipped from the side of the saddle and her foot slid into the metal trap that Hiccup's metal foot locked into. "Ah!" Immediately, Toothless stopped and turned his head towards the contraption.

He cooed an apology.

"It's okay," Akalya shook her foot, but it was stuck in that metal disaster. "But I can't get it out." She shook it again. Nothing. She was sliding further off his back and at this angle she was sure to break her ankle so she adjusted the straps so that the saddle was at her height and she put her other foot in the stirrup. If she was going to get out of this she'd need some extra help. "We have to go back."

Toothless hummed an agreement and started to turn back towards the way in which they came, but he was stopped by the sudden adjustment in his tail wing position. He whipped his head back with a narrowing gaze, a stern warning.

"I'm not doing anything," Akalya threw her hands in the air. "I'm just looking."

Toothless mumbled and rolled his eyes. She couldn't fool him.

"Okay, I was putting it into flying gear."

The Night Fury's head shook shamelessly. He would voice an opinion, but it was no use. Akalya was as stubborn as she was little. She was Astrid Hofferson's daughter after all. Not to mention, her father had a bit of a rebellious side in his youth that almost never complimented his steadfast mind.

"Don't you miss it?" Akalya asked, her eyes drifting back to the open horizon. "You haven't seen the sky in a long time. Neither have I."

Toothless let out a rumble of concern.

"It wouldn't be like last time. Last time I was with Stormfly and you know that her and I have a… difference in opinions when it comes to flying."

Toothless grumbled. Although he agreed with the Haddock heir, he didn't believe that her flying was anywhere near ready for his level of expertise. Then again, it had been a long time since those wings had stretched out over a gentle breeze. It was unfair: the choice was unfair. Akalya forced him into that decision.

"What if I always remain the town screw up?" Akalya was mostly talking to herself at this point. "What if I never get my chance and what if I never live up to my parent's expectations? I'll always be the Hofferson-Haddock that crashed her dragon into the middle of the town square. I'll always be the Hofferson-Haddock who can't control a dragon- a dragon that's supposed to be well-trained." Akalya sighed, resting her elbow on the back of the dragon. "I've never been so humiliated in my whole life. I'm the daughter of the Great Dragon Master and the Fearless Astrid Hofferson. How did I end up like this?"

The Night Fury cooed in protest. She wasn't a screw up, not to to him.

"Nothing you say is going to convince me otherwise." Akalya promised him.

He sighed. And then he stretched his wings.

Akalya popped up, her eyes wide and wonderful. "What are you doing?"

Toothless smiled back at her. He wasn't a miracle worker, but he could at least try. He could help prove to the whole of Berk that his Akalya was worth their attention, was worth their love. He could help erase her mistakes. He was positive of that. Too positive.

"We'll start small. Together." She promised and shifted the tail back into flight mode. Toothless shook out his head and took off at a running start towards the cliff to the left of them. Little by little, the wind started to pick him off the ground and soon his feet were gliding across the grass, just barely touching it. "We're fine." She kept reminding him. "I'm safe. I'm with you." She promised. That was all Toothless needed. The Night Fury reached the edge of the cliff and… let go.

Akalya screamed. Her eyes were tightened shut almost immediately as they fell into the sky. It wasn't until the sense of falling left her stomach that she was able to open her eyes and look around her. Nothing but endless blue. The wind brushed against her facial features and kicked the hair back from her eyes, which went wide in awe. Toothless snuck a glance back and smiled, rather satisfied with himself. "This is amazing and so much easier than flying over Berk."

Below her was an endless wave of ocean and above her was an endless wind of sky. It was much more soothing than having the whole of Berk shouting her name at the top of their lungs and a million different distractions in every which way. Why hadn't her parents started her off here? This was so much more relaxing.

"I can't believe I'm up here," Akalya whispered. "I can't believe it! I'm flying, Toothless! I'm actually flying!" She was cheering, yelling out of irrevocable joy. In that moment of complete contentment, Akalya had forgotten to hold onto the saddle and her little body started to slip from the leather. Her foot fell from the stirrup and she nearly slipped off the side, but she had the sense to grab for the handle and pulled herself back up.

Toothless's ears twitched as he felt the whole thing happen on his back. He turned his gaze to the child behind him with a furrowed expression.

"I'm fine. I got it." She assured him. Although the Night Fury was not convinced he turned his attention back to the sky and continued flying.

Toothless shot a plasma into the air ahead of them and flew above the flames like a coaster in the sky. Akalya's laughter in all the excitement echoed into the open horizon. Her giggles only gave Toothless more cause for celebration. He swayed a little and dipped up and down as he attempted to give the girl a proper ride above the earth. Akalya was completely beside herself with pride. "This. Is. Amazing." She was most certainly her father's daughter.

The Night Fury flapped his wings, propelling them higher into the sky until she could reach out and touch the clouds above her head. She extended her hand towards the figments. She had always wanted to touch a cloud, but now she knew that it was nothing more than empty fluff. There was nothing to feel. Worth it though. Absolutely worth it.

As the time continued to pass it became less clear to the Night Fury that it had been Akalya on his back. If he wasn't as smart as he was, he would've believed that it was Hiccup taking the reins. Immense pride succeeded him and his movements grew more daring as he attempted to spin and twirl and dip and dive for the pleasure of his rider. Akalya, meanwhile, seemed to handle the expeditions rather well and her constant laughter and cheering encouraged him further. With Akalya's assistance, Toothless was able to avoid collisions with mini islands and rock formations that protruded from the sea.

"Not bad," Akalya complimented their partnership. "We make a pretty good team, huh?"

Toothless had to admit they did make a pretty good team. He was impressed with her patience.

"This totally beats going to school."

The Night Fury, again, had to admit that this was far better than going to school.

"You think Mama will be proud or angry if she saw me like this?"

Toothless's moved his shoulders in mimic of a shrug and he rumbled as if to inform her that Astrid was proud 'no matter what'. Akalya straightened her lips. She wasn't sure if she could believe him. "Come on." Akalya pulled at the saddle. "We should turn back before school lets out and Mama comes looking for me."

Toothless agreed and made a quick split u-turn before Akalya had time to fix the calibration on the back tail wing. Her foot slipped from the mechanism and it fell out of the thing completely. The back tail wing flopped dead. Somehow her footwork had shut down the calibration altogether. "No!" She screamed as her foot scrambled to get back into place, but Toothless was already propelling towards the sea. "Toothless!" She grabbed at his neck, but her little hands couldn't hold on and she started to slip from his back.

Akalya was falling. Really falling. Toothless was several metres above her, fighting his way to fly and maneuver himself towards the child. He roared and pleaded and growled in frustration; his eyes were wide and the pupils were narrowed. He was a wild beast clawing at the air, desperately trying to hold the wind in an attempt to save her, but all the forces of the earth were against them.

"Toothless!" Akalya was scratching the sky. Her hands were grasping at nothing, reaching for the Night Fury, but she was falling so much faster than he was and they were too far apart. The Night Fury felt so helpless. He was worth nothing if he couldn't save the child he loved. He was watching her fall, watching her scream, and he couldn't do anything to help her. He had one job: get her to school. Look at her now. Just look at her.

She couldn't call out for his name anymore. She was screaming. Just screaming. And then suddenly the screaming stopped. Toothless saw a massive blue physique cross his vision and Akalya disappeared from sight. He cocked his head to the side. Stormfly! She flapped next to him and suddenly there was a click and and Toothless's tail returned to a flying position. He straightened his wings and turned over onto his stomach. The wind caught his weight and he rose back into the air. "I gotcha, bud." The voice was paired with a gentle pat on the head. Toothless immediately searched the Deadly Nadder for signs of Akalya's wellbeing. The child was wrapped in her talons.

Akalya looked up at the rider on the Deadly Nadder's back. Astrid hadn't taken her eyes off the sky in front of her. Stormfly kicked her sight away from Astrid when her squawk carried through the child's ears. Akalya looked to the side; Stormfly had her head bent over her underbelly and she chirped gleefully with her beak carved into a grin. 'Thank you' she mouthed to the dragon and the Nadder responded with a coo and a flap of her wings.

Astrid pulled Stormfly higher into the sky, hovering directly above the Night Fury. "Stormfly, drop." Astrid commanded. Akalya's eyes went wide as the Dead Nadder released her grip on the talons and she fell into the arms of her father and back on the back of the Night Fury.

Akalya opened her eyes and dared to look at her father's face. "Daddy?"

At first he shook his head, looking to Astrid, who had taken flight at their side. "You're in a lot of trouble." He had to hold back from yelling. "But thank gods you're okay." His voice softened and he pulled Akalya into his chest. "Don't ever do that again. Do you hear me?"

Akalya nodded her head and closed her eyes against her father's warmth. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry because she had almost lost her life, but there she was in her father's arms and she couldn't feel safer. But she was still afraid. She could still feel herself falling. And her heart was still in her stomach. It gave her the terrible notion of being sick. "How did you know where to find me?" Akalya finally asked.

"Have you forgotten that Stormfly is the best tracker in the archipelago?"

Akalya found it in her to give a little smile. "You made perfect timing." She was trying to make light, but that would prove to be the wrong approach.

"You should never have been out in the first place," Hiccup's tone went low and his eyes turned cold. "I mean, what the hel were you thinking? That you'd show up on the back of my dragon and we'd ignore the fact that you skipped school, endangered yourself and Toothless?"

"I'm sorry," Akalya whimpered.

"You're sorry?" Hiccup growled. "You're lucky that you're Amma went to your class to see how you were doing. Had she not we would've never realised that you were missing and you would've been stranding out here with no one to help you! You would've fallen into the sea and… and…."

"But she did and I'm okay," Akalya reminded him. "I didn't mean to scare you. I didn't mean-"

"No!" Hiccup interrupted. "You didn't mean to do it, but you did!"

"But I didn't mean to-"

"You never mean to do anything!"

Akalya shrunk against the saddle and averted her gaze. She would've apologised again, but that would've only made him angrier. Akalya chose to keep her mouth shut; she couldn't do this again. Astrid flew a little closer. She had been uncomfortably quiet through this whole thing. Akalya hadn't yet had a chance to even look her in the eye; Astrid was avoiding it.

"Astrid?" Hiccup caught her eye. "Can you take her home? I'm going to back to the school and tell my mother that we found her."

Astrid nodded and flew Stormfly under the Night Fury's torso. Hiccup held Akalya out over the dragon's wings and she was exchanged between her parents. Astrid pulled Akalya into the saddle and a breath of air washed over them as the Night Fury darted into the opposite direction over the trees. The Chiefly pair disappeared instantly.

"That was the most reckless, most idiotic thing you've ever done." Those were the first words her mother spoke to her. Akalya tried to avoid looking at her mother by stroking the scales on Stormfly's neck. "If I had room to be angry right now, I'd be furious beyond relief."

Akalya stopped and turned her gaze to Astrid, confused. "You're not mad?"

"Mad?" It was then that Akalya saw the look in her mother's eyes. They were red, puffy, and stained. Her mother had been crying, which only made Akalya feel worse. "Every time you walk out that door I shouldn't have to fear that you're not coming back."

"So you are mad?"

"No- well, yes, but." Astrid took a deep breath. "Akalya, you are mine and I almost lost you." There was a moment of thought before Astrid gathered enough strength to continue. "I'm just trying to understand why you do this."

"Do what?"

"Constantly put yourself into situations that endanger your life and the lives around you. There was that incident with Stormfly in the town square, that incident at Gobber's shop when you 'borrowed' a slingshot, the Snoggletog where you climbed to the top of the mountain and… and now this?"

She wasn't wrong. Akalya put herself into inane situations that proved deadly. One day her parents wouldn't be there to save her and what would she do then? Akalya knew what she did was dangerous, but she had proved herself not only a Hofferson or a Haddock, but a dragon rider. "But Mama… I was actually flying."

"You were falling."

"Before you showed up," Akalya pointed out. "I was flying."

Astrid shook her head. "Just stop." She warned. "I don't want to hear this, not now, Akalya."

"It's true."

"I don't care," Astrid muttered. "I don't care what you said you did. I care about you actually did."

"I did actually-"

"Akalya!"

"You never believe me!" Akalya protested. Tears began to well in her eyes. "If you could just stop thinking for five seconds that the Fearless Astrid Hofferson is-"

"Akalya." Astrid warned.

"No!" She screamed. "It's not fair! You're always telling me that I'm not good enough-"

"I am not!"

"Yes you are!" She cried. The tears flowed freely now. "Every time I make a mistake. Every time I put the Hofferson name to shame! I can see it! I can see it in your eyes. You're embarrassed by me! Embarrassed that I turned out the way I did and you can't handle that something you created turned out to be such a failure!"

"Akalya Haddock-"

"Tell me it's not true!"

"It's not true!" Astrid insisted.

"Liar! I'm the next hiccup in this town and everyone knows it! Only I don't get to end up like him! I'm just a hiccup! A stupid hiccup! Everyone knows it! You know it! A hiccup! A stupid, stupid hiccup!"

Akalya was in such a fit that Stormfly couldn't fly straight. The flight turned rocky and nothing would stop Akalya from screaming, "Hiccup! Hiccup! Hiccup!" over and over again. Astrid felt her head spinning and her heart stick in her throat. Until she finally couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't stand to hear her daughter say it one more time. Out of fury and frustration and fear, Astrid raised her hand and struck Akalya across the cheek, which immediately shut her up and Stormfly's flying returned to balance.

"Not," Astrid breathed, "another word."

And there wasn't.


	4. Forbidden Friendship

You're still here? You have no idea how much that means to me! If there is anything you like, think I can improve on, or if you just want to drop a comment- please do! I live for criticism (no, seriously, that's being a filmmaker and screenwriter is all about).

Anyways, I won't beg for anymore feedback (right now). Here's the third chapter to _The White Fury_! Let's see what trouble Akalya gets herself into next.

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY**

 **CHAPTER THREE :: FORBIDDEN FRIENDSHIP**

"I'm in the dragon house!"

Stormfly had to duck her head to avoid a collision with Akalya's violent flailing around, chucking various objects around the backyard. The stone just missed the Deadly Nadder's beak by a breath of wind. Meanwhile, Toothless and Hiccup were nowhere to found. It was getting dark and the Chief couldn't possibly still be at the school. Akalya was getting nervous and Stormfly could feel it.

"She doesn't listen to me! She doesn't believe me! She's got everything except for the daughter worthy of the Hofferson name and she knows it-"

'Squawk!' Stormfly protested, stomping to the otherside of the yard and planting her feet in front of Astrid's daughter. She tilted her head to the side and stared down at the child with one yellow eye. 'Squawk!' She squealed again so loud that it propelled Akalya to the dirt.

"Nothing you say is going to make that not true!" Akalya demanded with her butt on the ground and her arms crossed over her chest, her nose scrunched up like her mother's does when she's angry. That was something they had in common.

The Deadly Nadder nestled down onto her hunches and pushed the little girl with her beak in an affectionate sort of way. She wasn't the best companion when it came to comfort, but Stormfly did make an effort. Like Astrid, compassion and understanding was not her forte.

"You think I could sleep with you tonight?" Akalya asked, reaching up to stroke the Deadly Nadder's chin. "Maybe I just have to accept that I'm not what she wanted." She was thinking out loud now. "I could be something different like… an assistant. Yeah!" She perked up. "I could help others with their dragons and…" And then her face fell. "I don't want to be an assistant…"

Stormfly rubbed her beak against the child's cheek and cooed softly.

"I have to go inside, don't I?"

The Deadly Nadder bobbed her head up and down with impressive force in agreement.

Akalya sighed, "Fine. But if I don't come back-"

'Squawk!'

"Okay! Okay, I'm going." Akalya scrambled to her feet and started towards the door, but not without giving the Dead Nadder a big kiss on the top of her beak as a 'thank you'.

xXx

The fire that soaked the room in a violent orange painted Astrid's hair romantic ginger. With her back turned the Haddock heir, Astrid was almost unrecognisable. The door swayed shut behind her and still Astrid didn't stumble or turn. She remained with her back turned, her hands fixed on the handle of her axe as she sharpened the blade until it was raw.

"Mama?" Akalya's voice failed to find volume. She slid her toes across the boards, moving swiftly yet slowly around the table until she was able to make out Astrid's profile. "This is the makeup of a very scary murder-mystery." She mumbled with an attempted smile. Pity was her weapon now.

Astrid looked up and out towards her daughter, who stopped in front of her. Her gaze soften suddenly and a playful smirk decorated her lips. Akalya's visage tried to mimic hers when finally the weapon on her mother's lap was laid out on the floor between them. "Come. Sit." Astrid patted the bench between her legs and then scooted up onto the table. Akalya exhaled, but did as her mother commanded and sat down in front of her with her back facing her mother.

The child's muscles tensed and her skin began to prickle as her body shook involuntarily. She had to peel open her lips so she could breathe without choking. As Astrid's hand was raised into the air, Aklay flinched, fearing the worst. Her mother had never hit her before. The first had been earlier that night. But Astrid's hand didn't touch her skin. It grazed over the tangles locked in the braid from that morning. Her slender fingers combed through the honey locks gently. Out of habit, Akalya reached behind her and followed her mother's movements down her skull.

Astrid slipped out from around the table and planted her feet on firmly on the ground before making her way over to Hiccup's desk, always littered with painted parchment and impossible ideas. Her fingers danced delicately across the designs. She studied them fondly. Something about his wild dreams written on paper made her remember what he had been like when they had first fell in love. Lots had changed since then. "How did you get that far?" She finally asked.

When Akalya looked up Astrid was still watching the desk. She tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Her blue irises floated up to meet Akalya's gaze. "Toothless couldn't have flown all the way out there on his own."

"Oh." Akalya furrowed her brow in confusement.

"Which tells me…" Astrid turned her body full front and took one step back to her daughter. "That you flew him there. So you weren't completely lying."

Akalya's mouth fell open. Her eyes beamed wild with pride. "I told you-"

Astrid threw her hand up. "That doesn't make this okay."

Akalya's pride fell from her face as quickly as it arrived there. "I said I was sorry…"

Her mother sighed. "Akalya," she continued." In light of recent events, I am banning you from training with Toothless. That means no flying. No coaching. No-"

"But wait!" Akalya hopped down from the kitchen bench. "That's not fair!"

"Akalya-"

"It's not! Why doesn't Daddy have a say in this?"

"He's already agreed," she informed her daughter.

Akalya shook her head. "When!" She demanded.

"Akalya-"

"You're lying!"

"Akalya-"

Astrid crossed the room with her hands outstretched as if to grab the child, but Akalya dodged out of the way. "You can't do it! He's not yours! He's Daddy's!"

"No he's not," Astrid agreed. "But you are. You are mine and for now I get to tell you what you can and cannot do.."

Akalya shook her head in denial. "No."

"Akalya-"

"You don't have to be in control of everything!"

"This isn't about control," Astrid's voice was soft. Her voice was full of panic, quivering and breathy.

Akalya crossed her arms in front of her chest. "It is."

"It's not." Astrid gritted her teeth. "It's about keeping you safe."

"I am safe."

"Akalya-"

"I am!"

"If your father and I hadn't been out there today you and Toothless would be at the bottom of the sea." Astrid pointed out. "So stop telling me that this isn't 'fair' or that this is about 'control'. Toothless is not an easy dragon to ride. He's not meant for you- he's not meant for anyone besides-"

"Besides Daddy?" Akalya pouted. "It's not-"

"It's not fair." Astrid finished for her.

"I'm telling Daddy-"

"Fine." Astrid threw up her hands. "I'm not having this argument anymore."

She passed her daughter, bent down to pick up the axe and swung it over her shoulder, promptly making her way back around the table and walking towards her bedroom on the other side of the structure.

"Mama?"

Astrid stopped only inches from the door. She sighed, "Yes?"

"I'm not going to accept this," she promised. "I'm going to fly, but I'm going to fly my way. Not the Astrid Hofferson way."

Astrid couldn't tell herself to turn around. "Goodnight Akalya." The door opened at her command and the Hofferson slipped inside without hearing another world from her daughter. The argument was futile and it was over. Yet it felt as if there was no winner.

By the time Hiccup had returned home the fire had almost completely died out and his wife hadn't come out of the bedroom since she sought refuge from their insistent daughter. Akalya had yet to leave the kitchen. She was sitting at the table with her finger drumming against the table incessantly while the Terrible Terror's, Sneaky and Sharpshot, darted in and out from under the table in an hour long marathon of tag and tackle.

"Akalya?" The door shut quietly behind him. "What are you doing up?"

Akalya turned her head. Cheeks stained red, the child darted across the room, hopping over the little dragons on the floor, and ran right into her father, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on with all her might. "Daddy." She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Akalya?" He pulled her off his waist gingerly and knelt to his knees in front of her. "Why are you not in bed? Where is your mother?"

Akalya wiped the snot from her nose and crossed one foot over the other. "She went to bed."

"And left you here?"

Akalya raised her eyes to his, nodding. "Did you know what she was going to do?"

Hiccup nodded. "It was my idea."

Akalya pulled away, shocked. "You took him away from me…?"

"Just for flying-"

He tried to cross over her, but Akalya nudged farther and farther away. "I thought you were on my side."

"Akalya, I'm not on sides. There are no sides."

"Yes there are. And you've chosen yours." Akalya shook her head, pushing past her father, and stomping up the stairs, slamming the door to her bedroom, locking herself away for the remainder of the night.

"I'm sorry." The Chief was left in the dying room as the last embers in the hearth faded. He fixed up the kitchen and poured the last of the water from the stove onto the fire before retiring into his bedroom for the night, hoping that by the time morning came around the controversial would be forgotten.

The green Terror's fled into the bedroom and wrestled between the sheets of Akalya's bed before Sharpshot bit Sneaky's tail and sent him shooting across the room. Their squabble was creating a rattle throughout the blackened bedroom. "You two are going to break something."

They weren't listening. They continued to swirl around the room. "Stop it, both of you!" She demanded. "You're ruining it! You're ruining everything!" The Terrible Terrors stopped circling the room and stared up at Akalya with perplexed expressions. "So stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!" Akalya slid against the door until her bum hit the ground, sobbing completely.

Sneaky crept across the floor until he wiggled himself between Akalya's arm and rested his head on her lap. Sharpshot warbled innocently and followed through, creating balance by resting on Akalya's other thigh. They knew her outburst hadn't been about them. She knew her outburst hadn't been about them. It had been a terribly long night and the morning wasn't going to be much better. She just knew.


	5. Truth Be Told

When children experience traumatic events it is not uncommon for those events to be stored deep within the memory passageways and locked in vaults that are rarely if ever opened again. It's far easier to suppress those memories than relive them over and over again. Essentiality these memories only live in our nightmares... until those nightmares become reality.

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY**

 **CHAPTER FOUR :: TRUTH BE TOLD**

The horizon was black. The earth was cold. Akalya woke up in a field of greying gold. Their air around her was foggy and suffocating. A sickly sweet smell filled her senses as she sat up among the grain. Her head was barely tall enough to look over the tall weeds. The fog made it increasingly difficult. Her head was throbbing as if still recovering from being hit. The ground around her was freckled with pebbles and stones of audacious sizes. Running past her, she caught glimpses of the Terrible Terrors tossing about the grass. They were tumbling towards something. "Where are you two going?"

Akalya rose to her feet and started to move after them. The earth was like clouds and Akalya found that she was gliding instead of stomping. The Terrors tumbled around until they fell out of the grass and into the heart of Berk. Akalya looked up at the towering statue not yet torn down by her destructive behaviour. She reached out to touch the leg of the figure when a shrill shriek shackled her attention.

"Mama?" Akalya pulled hand back to her side and ran towards the sound. Ran this time. She could feel her feet hit the ground and the weight of the earth thumpm against the pads of her heels.

She didn't cease running until the freshly painted door to her hut was in view. She had somehow climbed the steps up to her house without any memory of that action. Her palm flattened against the centre of the door and swung it open with one simple push of pressure.

The fire was burning inside. Flying embers danced over her head and into the miraculously blue sky. What had happened to that black horizon she had woken up in? All memory of that had seemed to be wiped clean. Akalya stepped inside the hut, the door automatically closing behind her. "Mama?"

Gentle humming pressed against her ears. Akalya turned her head only to have her cheek collide with Astrid's puckered lips. "Mama!" The Hofferson daughter declared dreamily. Astrid danced around her daughter cheerfully as she crossed to the table on the other side of the room. "Mama, what are you doing?"

"I'm happy. Is that so unusual?"

"Kinda."

Akalya tiptoed over the creaky boards only to be tripped by tumbling Terrible Terrors. "Hey!" She exclaimed as they crawled over her stomach and darted upstairs. They moved at an incredible speed and were gone without seconds. Before she could readjust her eyes, Astrid was looming over her with her hand extended towards her daughter.

Akalya was pulled onto her feet and twirled around the room. Her mother had her spinning and bouncing around the room. All the while Akalya giggled and laughed. Those sounds filled the house and overthrew the force of the fire. The whole room seemed to be bathed in gleeful gold. But those golden sounds were drowned out by one single scream and Akalya spun out to the floor. Astrid's hand collided with the table and she collapsed to the floor, squirming and squealing like she had been cut open.

"Mama!" Akalya reached out to touch her mother's arm, but a sudden force wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her up and away from her squirming caretaker. "Let me go!" She kicked and pleaded, but the snakes showed no sign of relinquishing their squeezing grip around her torso.

Hiccup's figure faded into the room as Akalya's eyes adjusted to the blue hue now humming over the kitchen. "Daddy!" She kicked again, but he only shoved her further out of the room.

"Take her out of here. Take her out of here." He repeated as Akalya screamed and protested. She understood now that the snakes kidnapped her belonged to her grandmother, Amma. Valka's stringy lock of mossy brown hair clouded Akalya's vision and she was pushed out into the light of her Berkian town.

"No! Mama! Take me back!" Akalya kicked her grandmother hard enough to allow her to squirm free. She made a dash towards her hut, but that hut was thousands of metres from her and the ground seemed to be moving backward, keeping her from charging home. "Let me go! Let me go!" She cried.

Amma's voice was loud, her hushes penetrated the atmosphere and made even the Terror's fly from the trees. When Akalya turned around to face her grandmother, the ground was sprinkled with flecks of wet blood. Akalya knelt down to touch the fleck only to find that it was her hands supplying the grass with spots. Her shriek sent her backwards on the ground. "No! Get it off! Get it off!" Akalya wiped her hands on the grass, but the red stained her pallid skin. "Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!"

She turned over her stomach and crawled away from her grandmother, who tried to grab at her. "No! Mama! Mama!" Akalya repeated until the sky returned to black and the ground went cold and Akalya's world started to swirl in different colours and sounds burned together in a horrifying echo that awoke her in the bedroom of her hut.

xXx

"Mama!" Akalya's eyes shot open. She was bathing in a sleek layer of cold sweat. Her hands were shaking violently against her control and streams of burning tears streaked her cheeks. "Mama…" She choked out, looking around the room. It was dark, the door was closed, and the hut was silent.

"Mama…" The heir slid from the mattress and hit the floor with a soft thump. As soon as she was on the ground, Akalya took off running. She swung open her door and charged down the stairs as fast as her little legs would carry her. She was so busy running that she hadn't been paying attention to what was right in front of her. She ran head first into a solid body that sent her flying back against the stairs.

"Akalya!"

She focused her eyes. "Mama?" Astrid was standing over, her face painted with concern. Akalya's heart settled. "Mama!" Relief flooded her face and she threw herself around her mother's waist and refused to let go no matter what happened around them.

"Akalya?" Astrid helped the little girl up into her arms. Akalya's grip tightened around her mother's neck. "Baby, what's wrong?"

It didn't take but a few seconds for Hiccup to come charging up the stairs, stopping right behind his wife. "What's going on?"

Akalya opened her mouth to explain, but she swallowed too much air and started choking, which made the tears stream into her mouth. That only made it worse.

"Okay. Okay." Hiccup's hand began to trace circles on the child's back.

"Come on," Astrid continued to walk up the stairs, but Akalya's nervous grip prevented her from moving anymore forward. "Ow." She reached her arms up around her head as she attempted to loosen her daughter's hold around her neck, but Akalya wasn't about to budge. "Oh-kay. I'm not going to move you, I promise."

"Mama." She whimpered helplessly, burying her face deeper into her mother's neck. Flashes of grey and red threatened her vision. Akalya tried to hide her face, hiding her face was supposed to burn those images from her memory, but they were creeping in and never fading.

"Hiccup," Astrid pleaded.

"Okay," he hesitated. He continued to massage her back, but the panicking hadn't ceased to calm. "She's not going to let go, Astrid." He sighed. "Akalya, we're going to take you downstairs, okay?"

Her only response was a sniffle.

Hiccup slid his hand around Astrid's back and helped her back down the stairs with Akalya clinging to her so. "It's okay." He continued to speak soothingly. Akalya fell asleep that night in between both her parents, her arms still draped around her mother until the moment she woke up.

The sun had long since been up and shining through the Haddock hut with a beautiful orange hue. Hiccup had been up at sunrise, slipping away quietly, allowing his lovely ladies lie. Akalya woke up sometime after breakfast and before lunch, curled up in her mother's physique. It took her a moment to remember what she was doing there. The nightmare had scared her every fiber, but that didn't erase the fact that Akalya was still angry at her mother for taking away Toothless. She rolled away from Astrid unto the clear side where her traitor father should've been.

Astrid shifted slightly as her eyelids fluttered open and then they went wide as she shot up in bed. "What are you still doing here?"

Akalya puffed her cheeks in a puzzled expression.

"Hiccup was supposed to wake us," Astrid turned over on the mattress and threw her feet on the ground. Immediately she began rummaging through her closet.

"Why? What's happening?" Akalya asked.

"I'm going to the school today." That was it. That was all she said. Astrid threw her nightgown over Hiccup's 'treasure' chest. In a matter of minutes she was dressed in her usual attire with a heavier set of armour than her daily houseware.

The Hofferson daughter chose not to speak in hopes that 'I' meant only her. If her mother wanted to relive her glory days at the Academy it didn't mean Akalya had to be there. Right?

"Valka is going to pick you up."

"Amma?" Akalya corrected. Her mother had never called her 'Valka' before when addressing her, which made Akalya nervous. It felt… distant. "Why aren't you taking me?"

"I don't have time."

"But you're going there too." Akalya pointed out.

Astrid stopped in the middle of the room as her hands started to pull at the strands of hair falling over shoulders. Akalya touched her tangled curls and hoped that her mother would take as much time as needed to perfect them into a worthy braid.

"I have to go talk to your father first."

"Why?"

"Because he leaves tomorrow." Astrid finished tying her hair together and finished by slipping on her foots. She promptly picked Akalya up from the bed and set her feet on the floor, gently pulling her along as she followed the path upstairs.

"Leaves?" Akalya protested, digging her heels into the boards despite clashing her toes with the first step.

Astrid sighed, "there's a problem on the southern isles."

"Another dragon?" Akalya pulled free of her mother's hold and stood on a step at the centre of the cases. "Don't they have anyone else to ask?" Her eyes dropped to her feet.

Astrid's posture shrunk. She recognised that feeling on her daughter's face. She had felt the same thing several times before. Hiccup was always on some unique mission that only the 'Dragon Master' could conquer.

"Please," Astrid stepped aside. "Go get ready for school."

Akalya shook her head, but after moments of staring at her own feet the Berkian heir climbed up the rest of the stairs and disappeared behind her bedroom door. As the door slammed shut, another door opened but not before a gentle warning knock.

"Am I interrupting?" Valka's voice rang out sweetly.

Astrid's face softened as Valka stepped into view, the door closing quietly behind her. "You're late." Astrid chimed.

Valka smiled. "My son sent me here right on time."

"Hmm," she hummed in response. "Akalya is still getting ready." Astrid trailed back down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Where is that son of yours, anyways? He was supposed to wake me this morning."

"I think he wanted to give you some extra rest. I've been told it was a rough night."

"You could say that," Astrid sighed.

A moment of uninterrupted silence followed. Valka stalked around the kitchen in a grand circle avoiding the area directly around Astrid as she danced around the conversation. "Astrid," she stepped within the invisible circle. "Now that I've got the chance… I've been meaning to check up on you."

Astrid's face lifted towards the older woman. "I don't need it, Valka. But thank you."

"Then I guess I should be acquiring about my son."

"He's fine." Astrid answered simply. "He's better than-"

She was cut off by the jumping of feet as they stumbled down the staircase and landed with a loud thud on the floor of the kitchen. "Amma, I'm ready!" Akalya appeared in the middle of the room with a smile directed at her grandmother. She wasn't particularly excited at the idea of school, but a stroll with her grandmother was enough excitement to drive the little girl out the door.

"Wonderful!" Valka cheered as her granddaughter came skipping into her arms. "But are you going to go out with your hair like that?"

Akalya immediately touched the ends of her curls and gasped, "Oh" She turned her gaze over her shoulder. "Mama?"

"Quickly." Astrid motioned for her to sit at the kitchen table. She climbed up onto the table surface as Akalya settled on the bench between her legs. Astrid threw Akalya's hair into a loose side braid that would hold until the end of the day, but it was quick and short. With her hair in place, Akalya was able to skip off after her grandmother and the two left the hut promptly without anymore cryptic familiars exchanged between the adults.

The warmth of a rumbling purr greeted them as they trailed down the stone path. "Good morning Cloudjumper," Akalya patted the graceful giant on his chest since that was the only spot she could reach when he sat up on his haunches. At Valka's command he began walking with them towards the school.

Valka paced with regal posture alongside her Stormcutter as her granddaughter uncharacteristically skipped ahead of her. Adoringly, the grandmother looked on with the purest of smiles. "You're unusually happy to be going to school."

Akalya slowed down. Shrugging, "it's not because of school."

"Oh?"

Akalya fell back on the path and walked alongside the dragon/master pair. "My Dad is leaving again, which means I'm going to be alone with my Mom. I have a lot to make up for."

Valka's adoring smile faded into pensive concern. "What are you talking about?"

"My mom's been so angry lately. She's alway so… sad. I know it's because of me. I did something wrong. Maybe I can fix it this week when it's just us."

"Why do you say such things?" Valka insisted. "It's not your fault."

"But it is." Akalya assured her with resounding resolution. "I caused everything. I caused the accident."

"Accident?"

"You remember the accident," Akalya reminded her. "You're the one that took me away."

Valka's mouth shaped into an 'o' and her feet stopped moving. Eyes drooping, she shook her head. "Akalya, no… You didn't. That wasn't…" Valka clasped her hands together and nervously began to tear at her own cuticles. "You remember why you stayed with me?"

"Yeah."

"Your mother was sick." Valka insisted, but Akalya was stubborn.

She shook her head over and over again. "I remember. I still have nightmares about it."

"Nightmares?" Valka sighed. "Those aren't nightmares, darling." She placed a firm hand on her granddaughter's shoulders. Her eyes darted across the child's visage delicately. "Look at me." Akalya forced her eyes upward. "Your mother was sick. It wasn't your fault. I promise."

"Then why is she so angry at me?"

The Haddock elder waved her hand in dismissal. "She's not angry. She's healing."

"Can she heal any faster?"

Valka forced a sympathetic smile as she took the girl's hand and pulled her along the path, continuing their journey to the Dragon Academy for Akalya's first official day of school.


	6. Rescue in Silver

I am almost completely caught up with the revamp of this story and on that note you may be wondering why there are less chapters. I've simply combined a few chapters to make longer and more coherent chapters. Now, this revamp was particularly difficult to write because it was a little scattered, but this is officially the first day of school for our Akalya Haddock...

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY  
**

 **CHAPTER FIVE :: RESCUE IN SILVER**

It had been fourteen years since the establishment of the Dragon Academy and things had changed since it's first class over a decade ago. The youngest grade level offered was Akalya's; they would spend the next four years learning the basics of the dragon riding and all the history that came with it. Although, most of the young riders had been hearing the history their entire lives. Before the Academy there were primary divisions where students were given the basics in other educational needs. While those needs didn't deplete with the Academy they did become less intense and shorter in duration. Akalya would learn everything from mathematics to boulder class maintenance. That's how it would be for the next fours years. After that, the eager young riders would be paired with their dragons and ready to conquer the world. Or so they thought…

Valka had fulfilled her promise to Astrid and delivered Akalya safely through the halls of the Dragon Academy. The halls were split into three divisions. The hall on the left, the one decorated with children's colouring tools and brightly assembled was the hall of the littleluns: Akalya's hall.

She let her hand slip out of her grandmother's slender grip and walked carefully to the mouth of the demon. Akalya looked up at the ceiling. The sudden pressure of claustrophobia was beating at her chest. She gulped and spun around to face her grandmother, who remained on the other side of the opening. "Where are you going to go?"

"To the Headmaster's office," Valka smiled. "That's where I belong, dear."

Akalya exhaled loud and slow. "Thor have mercy on me." She mumbled to herself as she began walking down the hall to the room at the very end, decorated with various coloured parchments shaped like different classes of dragons all painted with a singular name. Akalya's included. This was it.

The door poured open at her single push. Creeping inside, the laughter died and the room went silent. All the children adjusted their faces to see the intruder in their midst. Akalya swallowed the lump in her throat and took one last step inside, finally able to close the door at her back.

"Ah!" A resounding boisterous cheer sounded at the front of the room: a voice that could only belong to Gobber. "There's our little chief! Thought you'd run off again." He let out a shaking fit of laughter.

The other children snickered amongst themselves and spun into their clusters. Akalya shrunk where she stood. Thanks Gobber… she thought to herself as she sombered over to an empty seat at the front of the class.

"You think she flew here?" One of the young vikings whispered to her friends. Not just a young viking, Akalya's second cousin, Ingrid Jorgenson. She was the only daughter of Snotlout and Ruffnut. Undeniably, this girl was the daughter of the biggest muttonheads in the archipelago. She was 'pride' of the family, sarcastically inclined.

Her twin brother, Rufflout, was not as ignorant, but far dumber and impressionable. He hadn't a mind of his own; his sister was his boss and he seemed content with that. He was sitting directly next to Ingrid, having scooted his chair into the middle of the aisle.

Alongside the Jorgenson twins was Iris Thorston, the only daughter to the widower, Tuffnut Thorston. She was quietly cruel, but cruel nonetheless. Her humour was her only redeeming quality, but she was poisoned by the Jorgenson twins before she was ever given the chance of redemption. "What is she doing here?" Iris giggled into the ears of her cousins. "She doesn't belong here."

"You guys, she can hear you." That sweet voice belonged to Mae Ingerman. She was only child to Fishlegs and Helga Ingerman. Perfectly made out of the likeness of them, Mae was eager and persistent. She was kind and plump like a baker's daughter stereotypically was. She was full of miscellaneous trivia and 'fun' dragon facts.

Akalya rested her head on her forearms and looked towards the front of the room, pretending that she couldn't hear them mocking her behind her back. Literally.

"Gobber!" Mae's eager little voice chirped above all the rest of the snickering. "Where is Ms. Weather? No offence, but you're not exactly the number one teacher on Berk."

"Ah, right, well…" Gobber floundered.

"She probably quit when she found out the chief's daughter was enrolled in her class." Ingrid snickered.

Akalya glanced over her shoulder just in time to catch a glimpse of Ingrid's wicked smirk directed straight at her. The Hofferson screw-up dug her head back into the crevice of her arm and hoped that she could drown out the sounds of her peers whispered and chucking around her.

"Well," Gobber continued, completely oblivious to the torment going within the classroom. "You'll all be excited to learn that we'll be taking a field trip today. So, I won't be yer teacher today."

"Good." Mae said so matter-of-factly. "My father said that when you were his teacher you almost killed him. Twice." Her big blue eyes were wide with innocence and intrigue. She looked just like her father.

"Right," Gobber hesitated. "Well, that's not… Anyways, that's all in da past now."

From the corner of her vision, Akalya saw a slender arm stretch up in the air.

"Yes, Ms. Jorgeson?"

"When do we get to pick our dragons?"

Akalya rolled her eyes. Classic Ingrid. She never paid attention.

Gobber hesitated, "well during these first four years you'll have to prepare-"

"Prepare?" She questioned. Her lips curling with distaste. "What does that mean?"

Oh Thor… Akalya thought to herself and threw her head back down on the desk.

"Our chief set the standards," Gobber began to explain in the most simple way possible. "Once you master the basics you will have ta find yer own dragon to tame and train."

"Find? Tame?" Ingrid shook her head. "Why don't we just… like have someone hand one to us? Wouldn't that be so much easier? Like a nursery or something."

"Because we have to earn the right to ride a dragon," Akalya finally piped up. The eyes that turned to her made her regret that very decision. "I mean-" She sighed and hide her face from the crowd.

"Is that what you think you've done, Haddock?" Ingrid demanded. "You've earned the right to ride that dragon? How did that work out for you?"

"Oh-kay," Gobber sounded nervous. "Why don't we start heading outside, ya?

Akalya was the first to stand up. She trampled over the desks and toppled chairs all the way to the door, which she promptly swung open and chased the light down the hallway to the sunlight beaming outside the Academy. She was swiftly followed by the rest of the class and their 'teacher'. Upon reaching the entrance of the Academy, Akalya was greeted with a ring of dragons and their riders all seemingly waiting for them, actually. She froze in front of the school while the other kids charged past her and into the courtyard.

"What's going on?" Akalya asked when Gobber had hopped into the scene, panting miserably.

"This is the surprise!" He opened his arms to the line of transportation. "I've asked Fishlegs, Tuff and Ruff, and Snotlout to help us-"

"With a project we've never done before." Akalya turned her head to the voice that belonged to her grandmother. Valka rounded the corner and appeared on the other side of her granddaughter. "We're taking the first years to the Edge."

"The Edge?"

"Yer father and these dragon riders here built the edge," Gobber explained with credible gumption. "They learned a lot there. Val thought-"

"I thought you would benefit from a trip out there."

"Me?" Akalya quivered. This was because of her…

Valka's hand touched her shoulder gingerly. "I think you'll be satisfied with what we have planned."

While she trusted her grandmother and her judgment, Akalya couldn't help but feel a tad bit nervous about this impromptu and secret trip to Dragon's Edge. Whatever had pressured them into taking this sudden mission was troubling and yet exciting. Exciting… nerving. Her indecisive head was making her sick.

"You all must really hate me…" Akalya mumbled to herself just as her grandmother took hold of her hand and dragged her to the centre of the ring where she was guided onto one of dragons after the rest of the class had already filed in.

xXx

It was all for her. Valka and Gobber, they wanted to desperately to help Akalya fit in and the measures they were about to take were absurd. First years were never granted field trips to Dragon's Edge. Field trips to Dragon's Edge were rarely seen or heard about. The only reason these first year Dagon Academy students were granted such amazing and unforetold treats was because among them was the Chief's daughter, the heir to Berk. Still, they all mocked and teased and tormented her.

"There," Valka's voice sounded behind her. Akalya lifted her head to peek over the flaps blooming on Cloudjumper's head. "That's Dragon's Edge and there," Valka directed her finger to the landing strip next to the training ring, "is your mother."

"My mother?" Akalya frowned.

"Aye," Valka pinched her granddaughter's cheek in an attempt to turn that frown into a genuine grin. She had no such luck. "Come now. It'll be good." Her tone envied promise, but Akalya could already feel the disappointment seeping through.

They landed in front of the open ring with the rest of the dragon rider's and the class of first years, who immediately climbed onto the docks and piled into the arena. Everyone was in a chatter, whispering and laughing among themselves as they examined the new space in front of them. It was all very exciting. Exciting for everyone except Akalya, who dreaded what torment her mother and the school had cooked up for her this time.

As she slid from the Stormcutter's back Akalya was greeted by a cheerful Deadly Nadder with a kiss between her beak. She nudged and pushed until Akalya was on her back, helpless against the attacking dragon. "Okay." She shoved the massive beak from her torso. "You win. You win!"

'Squawk!' The Deadly Nadder untrapped the Hofferson daughter from her talon and stood proud with triumph over her captured prey.

"What are you doing here, anyways?" Akalya patted the beak of the Dead Nadder. She was thinking more of her mother than the dragon, but she asked nevertheless. Just her luck, Stormfly didn't have an answer.

While Akalya battled it out with the Dead Nadder, Valka had guided Cloudjumper to the arena. "Come now children!" She beckoned them. Eagerly, the class clumped together and crowded into the crew with their big round eyes watching the dragons and their riders set up at the front of the class.

Akalya, however, chose not to follow. She placed her hand on the Nadder's neck and used that as her safetynet while the rest of the class herded together. "Save me." She whispered to her scaly companion, who cooed compassionately in response.

A sudden burst of air brushed past them and a thin shadow stretched across the area. The sound of wailing wind stung their ears as all eyes turned towards the sky. A brilliantly silver dragon flew above them, casting a mystery over the children's wandering minds. Akalya stepped out from under her dragon's protection and tilted her skin at the sky, following the movement of the shiny creature as it searched the area for an appropriate landing.

"Who is that?" Akalya asked out loud without necessarily meaning to.

"That would be Heather." Astrid's voice came from her. Stormfly's clacking gave away her position.

"Mama," Akalya tore her eyes from the horizon and found them planted on her mother's physique against the morning sun. Her silhouette casted over the strip, creating a hauntingly powerful aura. It only made Akalya's stomach twist. "Are you finally going to tell me what we're doing here?"

"This is Dragon's Edge, Akalya." Astrid resounded. Akalya nodded as she knew where she was. That wasn't the question she was asking. "It's the best place to learn about dragons." She made it simple, rested a hand on the Deadly Nadder's scaly neck.

"And what does Heather have to do with it?"

"Heather was my best friend back on Dragon's Edge," Astrid continued. "You probably don't remember her. You were so little the last time she was here."

"I've met her?"

"A few times actually."

Akalya lifted her gaze back to the sky just as the shiny beast made landing nearby. A hooded figure climbed down the side of the dragon and unveiled a head of black hair and a pallid face with deep emerald eyes that mimicked hers and her fathers. She was quite beautiful, but nothing compared to her own mother.

"Heather!"

"Astrid!"

The two women ran together, embracing like old friends.

"Akalya!" The child watched the green-eyed brunette carefully as she made her approach. "You probably don't remember me." Akalya shook her head as Heather knelt down in front of her. "You were were small enough to cuddle in my arms the last I saw you." Heather reached out and pulled Akalya into a squeezing hug, which she was reluctant to return.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Astrid said finally.

"Are you kidding?" Heather finally released Akalya and turned her body back towards the Chieftess. "I've been waiting for an invitation back here forever."

For the first time in months Akalya witnessed her mother smile… genuinely. The whole exchange had Akalya leaning on her tiptoes. Why hadn't Heather been here before? She seemed to make her mother happy. If only Akalya had known that after the accident. She wouldn't sent priority Terror mail herself if it meant Heather would make her mother happy again.

"What are you doing here?" Akalya asked nervously, stepping between the two reunited besties.

"Your mother told me there was a class of eager young dragon riders that needed my expertise," Heather grinned smugly.

"I don't know if I said 'expertise'." Astrid teased. "Come on, I've got a group of impatient kids just dying to meet you." The Chieftess tugged at Heather's arm and together they galloped into the arena to meet the rest of their fellow dragon riders at the front of the ring.

* * *

I've deleted the following chapters and replaced them with something I think you'll all appreciate more. Happy reading, fellow dragon riders!

P.s. I also apologise for the sloppiness of this chapter. I was very tired and I'm very sick. That's a deadly combination.


	7. Seeing Purple

I've repeated this message from _The Prologue_ for those who have not looked at the revamped chapters of _The White Fury_.

So... you've stumbled upon my work! Welcome my fellow dragon riders! Let me start first by introducing myself. My name is Elisabeth, but my pen name here is EFWRiter. I have two major works published on this site, both are HTTYD related. I am currently a film major in college and have been writing since... well, since I could write. I run a roleplay website with over 30 members. Check it out if you love to write as much as I do! → Google _Tres In Unum_ . net on freeforums (apparently it won't let me share a link).

I started this story my freshman year of high school. I'm now a freshman in college and let me tell you I've changed a lot since I've published the first chapter to this story and things have gotten in my way. They have prevented me from finishing this story… but I want to do right by you, my readers, and my characters. I'd like to make an honest piece of work out of this idea. That means that I have to make renovations and I plan to update and edit as much as possible.

Some of you, who have read this story (twice) may be saying to yourself, "Ye gods not another rewrite!" Don't worry! I'm not changing anything major, which means if you remember the story and you've kept with it this long, you DO NOT have to go back and reread the chapters. I just updated my style… with age my style has changed and I'd like this story to remain pretty consistent.

Oh, and don't panic! There are only six chapters, but that's because I combined several chapters that had no reason to be split in two. I didn't realise how short and nonsensical I made some of my chapters. Hopefully with this new style the chapters will be longer... You're welcome!

Now, finally, due to my inconstant absences I will be trying to wrap up this story faster than originally planned. This means longer chapters and (hopefully) more frequent updates. Please don't hold my word to that. Life gets in the way of a lot of things… writing unfortunately happens to be one of them.

Anyways, without further ado… let's see if I can make an honest reader out of you. Please enjoy _The White Fury_!

P.s. The name of the central character is Akalya (Uh-Kal-Yuh).

* * *

 **THE WHITE FURY**

 **CHAPTER SIX :: SEEING PURPLE**

Heather started by introducing the silver beauty she called Windshear. The class all took turns running their hands along the silky scales dressing her neck and stomach. It was like petting a ceiling of shields. The dragon itself, although intimidating with her tough exterior, was gentle and affectionate. She reminded Akalya of her own scaly beast, the Deadly Nadder with spikes as long as her body and sharp as a blade. Stormfly had the ugliest weapons, but the prettiest heart on the whole archipelago.

"I'm going to get one of these," Ingrid shoved her elbow into Rufflout's gut as she 'whispered' in his vicinity. "Maybe we can get twin Razorwhips. Like us."

Rufflout shrugged, "Nah." The young viking ventured over to the other side of the arena and lifted his arms to the mischievous Hideous Zipplebacks gawking together. "I think I'll stick with these gassy little reptiles."

Belch bickered a small spark as an adventurous growl erupted from his throat. Named for their hideous appearance and attitudes rightly, the two Zipplebacks entangled one another in their grossly long necks just before they created another spark that resulted in a small explosion much ignored by the riders. They were used to those troublemakers setting fire to things… thing, people, themselves. What was the different, anymore?

While the company seemed distracted by the lightening show put on by the muttonhead's dragons, Akalya ventured slowly from the riders and the children in her class. She climbed out of the arena without so much as kicking up a little sand. She had become skilled at sneaking away unnoticed. The little chief did not acquire her stealth from her father, that much had been made clear. But as she stumbled away from the school the sound of footsteps echoed behind her, threatening her serenity and doubting her sneaky abilities.

"Leaving so soon?"

Aklay turned around half expecting to see her mother at her heels, but it wasn't Astrid. It was Heather, the emerald-eyed brunette with the shiney pet. "Did my mother see me?"

Heather glanced over her shoulder quickly and turned back to Akalya with a simple shake of the head.

The Hofferson girl exhaled in relief. "I thought I was going to get another lecture."

"You might be," Heather cooed. "It's in the middle of a school day and you were just… leaving? I think that institutes as skipping."

Akalya shrugged. "I skipped yesterday. Why not today?"

The foreigner's dimly coloured lips curved in a nice grin. "Look kid, I'm all for a little adventure, but I've been on Astrid's bad side and that's not somewhere you want to be."

"You're telling me. I gotta live with her."

To that Heather cracked a chuckle. "Okay, fair enough."

The devious primary student saw an opportunity as the brunette soften in her negotiations almost instantaneously. "Please don't tell her." Akalya pleaded earnestly. "I'm coming right back. I just…" Her eyes drifted momentarily to the structures at the woman's back. A smile struck across her lips. "I want to see where my parents lived. Those are their huts up there."

Heather followed Akalya's eyes to the buildings above them. She too struck a smile, but hers was far less manipulative and more nostalgic, which gave the young viking the idea that she had been here before… more than once. Perhaps she even lived there with them during their time on the Edge. "Fine." Heather said finally. "But be quick. I'm coming to find you if you're not back in five."

Akalya nodded eagerly before skipping off to the bridges. She only waited until Heather had her back turned to duck under the bridges rather than climbing over them and scurrying to the other side of the island where there were nothing but trees and grass. By the time Heather or her mother would figure out she was missing Akalya would be too far for them to find.

xXx

Her boots slapped against ancient dirt that hadn't been stepped on since her parents were nineteen. Akalya found that most of the island was overgrown or falling apart. There were bits of old traps and contraptions that were nothing more than shambles on the road between house and wilderness and what was left of the path was confused and lost in motion. The mountain that shielded the sun from her skin was tilted towards the structures and rocks had since crumbled and broken before her. Despite the lack of activity on the island for over fourteen years, the earth was in fair shape. It made it easier for Akalya to navigate her way around the mountain passageways.

When the mountain seemed to stop turning a straight bridge flattened her path to another rounded corner. The little blonde bounced from pebble to pebble until her feet pointed at the tip of the wooden planks. She peered over the bridge at the water splashing below and then gingerly placed one toe on the first board. The ropes tightened as the planks squealed under her pressure. "Well, that's not going to work." Akalya blew through her lips and slumped back on a nearby rock sitting against the side of the mountain.

Two options were presented before her: she could turn back now and suffer the wrath of her mother and the humiliation of her entire class as her audience or find another way around the rickety bridge and continue her journey into the unknown. The choice should've been obvious. Only Akalya had no other way around the bridge except to turn back and go the other way around and even then the first option would certainly occur. So, she was out of options and she was tired and she was running out of time.

With her head down and her eyes closed Akalya was relying purely on the silence of the land to allow her to think, but it wasn't silence that broke her gentle ears. The violent flapping of wings and a devilish siren howl screeched through the air above her. Akalya's head lifted towards the blue horizon dabbled with plump clouds of white. Between them moved a figure quick as lightning, darting from cloud to cloud, hiding. "What the-"

Akalya jumped to her feet and ran to the edge of the island, wrapping her hand around one of the slender trees for support as she leaned over the rocky ledge. The clouds blew together with the force of the invisible hero. Another howling screech thrusted into the horizon and stung the the child's eardrums. The sound, while unpleasant to the child's ears, was familiar and almost soothing in that account. "Night Fury…" Akalya mumbled to herself as the screeching halted. "It's a Night Fury!"

Two options were presented before her: she could chase the dragon across the island until it came into view or run back to tell her mother only to find out that it was her father in the clouds and the kids in her class would have another opportunity to laugh at her. She wasn't about to make a fool of herself again so she chose to ignore the ladder and choose option number one.

Akalya swung around the tree and threw her feet onto the beaten path. She had to first get across the ramshackle bridge that hadn't been secured for over a decade. The odds were not in her favour. The Haddock descendant lowered herself to the ground, stretched her foot behind her and used that length to leap into the air and jump across the bridge, landing clumsily on the other side. She rolled a few metres through the dirt, tearing a rip in her leggings and bloodying her knees. But the pain subsided as her mission became clearer and clearer. _Catch up to that dragon!_

The only vision she had of the creature was the blurring of the clouds as it swiped through them. The beat of her heart imitated the drumming of her feet and a cloud of dirt drifted violently behind her. She clawed and snatched at the air attempting to drag her back, but the clouds moved far faster than she ever could. She was falling back. Falling... Falling... Falling-

 _Catch!_

Akalya's foot caught the brunt of a protruding rock and the seven-year-old tumbled to the ground. Rolling over onto her back, the child forced her eyes open and held her hand to her chest as she struggled to breathe. The ground had hit her pretty hard, knocked her head against the path and slapped her chest to her knees. She was tangled up in herself and bleeding from places she couldn't even see. The impact of the fall shouldn't have damaged her this bad, but the force at which she ran only inflicted the worst kind of pains. And now she was there, laying in the dirt, wishing that someone would find her before the pain forced her eyes closed again and the world turned black. When the world turned black she dreamed. She hated dreaming. Her dreams only made her scared...

In was minutes. Seconds. Akalya had closed her eyes for only a second, but when she opened them again she was confronted by a white muzzle to her chin. Big round lavender eyes groomed over her visage and a single puff from the monster's nose blew hot and warmed the numbed skin of the viking girl, turning her cheeks bright pink. Purple blooms refused to blink, staring daringly into the emerald eyes that met her own.

Akalya couldn't move. She couldn't think. She couldn't blink. She frozen under the white mass. The muzzle of the purple beauty brushed her cheek tenderly before tilting her head curiously like she was trying to figure out what this little viking girl was doing on the ground.

The encounter in reality was only a few seconds long, but Akalya felt like that beast was resting on her chest for minutes. Very long, terrifying minutes. The brave Hofferson held her breath until the sound of arising voices chased the violet-eyed dragon into the sky. It burst into the clouds with the speed of a Night Fury before Akalya could ever get a decent look at the body of the beast. She flipped over onto her stomach and searched the clouds for the white wonder, now miles and miles away from view.

"Akalya?" It was Heather who scared the mystery dragon into the sky. She rounded the corner of the mountain and appeared taller than when they had originally met, stopping right above the downed heir. "I told you I'd come find-" She gasped, dropping to her knees in front of Akalya. "What happened to you?" Her hand hovered the injured child cautiously, waiting for Akalya to make the first move before she touched her.

"Night Fury, except not one…" Akalya reached for Heather's extended arm and used that to help her stand. "It wasn't-"

"What are you talking about?"

Akalya tried to catch her breath. With each inhale there was a sharp amount of pain hitting against her chest. "In the sky," Akalya tried to explain, having to hold her hand over her ribs for support. "It was white. Just white."

"White?" Heather searched her dragon knowledge for something matching Akalya's description, but she found nothing. Dragons tended to be colourful, dabbled in bright patterns. She had never seen a white dragon. Silver dragons? Yes. Black dragons? Yes. White dragons? No. "I don't know what you're talking about. There's no white dragon known on the archipelago-"

"A dragon! It was in the sky! It was fast- really fast!" Akalya squirmed, feeling the need to stomp her foot, but physically unable to do so.

"Akalya-" She didn't look like Astrid, but she was starting to sound like her.

"I'm not lying!" Akalya insisted.

"I never said you were." Her voice was unfamiliarly sweet and calm. Immediately, Akalya exhaled and relaxed. "Did it… did this white dragon do this to you?"

Akalya's lips twisted into a shameful frown. Shaking her head, "I did it to myself."

"Oh," Heather looked nervous. "On purpose?"

"No." Akalya's voice was firm. "I'm not crazy. I tripped."

"Oh thank goodness." Relief flooded Heather's expression. "Can I take you home now?"

Two options were presented before her: agree to go home with Heather and face another humiliating disaster in front of her peers and Berk's most esteemed dragon riders or try to run as fast as she could with this much pain in her chest and spend the rest of the night out in the wilderness hoping she'd find a new civilization to take her own. The ladder was mostly impossible, but the first option seemed… unthinkable. More painful than the feeling in her chest.

"What are you going to tell my mother?" Akalya puffed out her lower lip.

"Whatever you want me to tell her."

A wave of relief washed over her and that Haddock winning smile returned to her lips. "Okay," she nodded and allowed Heather to help her walk back to the Edge.

xXx

"Astrid, you're overreacting!"

Even with her door shut and her eyes closed Akalya could still hear her parents in the room downstairs, shouting back and forth endlessly. Gothi had just left. Akalya was wrapped in thick bandages and flying on several different painkillers and medications for 'mental disadvantages'. That's what they called it, anyways. Akalya knew better. She knew they were crazy pills, to keep her calm for the rest of the night.

"I'm overreacting?! Did you not _see_ your daughter?! And you think I'm overreacting?!" The sound of Astrid's fists slamming against a wall carried into Akalya's bedroom and the thunder of their voices made the floor quiver. Toothless had his head resting at the end of the bed, his tongue kissing the heels of Akalya's feet when the noises got too loud and unnerving.

"Astrid, if you would just-"

"No, I will not _just_!" Her voice was wavering, signaling to Akalya that she was pacing around the room. "She had three- _three_ broken ribs! Explain to me how the-"

Hiccup was annoyingly calm. He was giving her no fight. The battle was hers and it was won. "Kids do this-"

"No they don't!" Toothless warbled loudly and nudged the child's feet in an attempt to distract her from the noise. "Akalya skipped school _twice_ and then she blamed her mistake on a ghost-"

"She never said ghost," Hiccup insisted. "You're twisting her words..." His voice faded from earshot and for a second the argument was lost in the walls. Akalya wasn't able to hear the rest of what her father had to say in her defence, much to her dismay.

"OH FOR THE LOVE OF-"

A heart stopping crash prevented the rest of that sentence to be heard from Akalya's room. She sat up in her bed and pulled her feet away from the Night Fury, throwing them over the edge of the other side of the mattress. Toothless, leaping into action after his viking child, wobbled to her side and put his nose under her hand in case she tried to move from the bed. A quiet coo would warn her to do otherwise.

She hushed him, "I'm not moving." Akalya pushed her palm against the bandages around her torso and grimaced. "It hurts too much anyways."

Toothless warbled with relief and rested his head against the back of her hand, closing his eyes momentality.

"I can't hear them anymore…" She was somewhat disappointed in that fact while all at the same time relieved that she couldn't hear the disappointment screaming in her mother's voice. "Maybe it's over…" Akalya looked to her scaly companion, who offered a coo in response, but nothing more.

Suddenly, the door was forced open and Akalya scrambled back into her bed and turned over onto her side, facing away from the door before she ever saw the intruder enter. Her hand pressed against her ribcage and she tried not to move anymore than she had to. Toothless scampered to the middle of the floor, greeting whoever walked in.

"I know you're not sleeping," Hiccup said finally, taking a seat at the end of the bed, shifting the weight to the back of the mattress. Her father placed a hand on her hip and turned her over gently until he could see her face. "Your mom already told me her version of what happened, but I want to hear yours."

She fought the urge to talk, locking her lips together, until Toothless nudged her feet with his muzzle and motioned towards Hiccup, persuading her to speak honestly. Akalya sighed, "Mama's friend let me explore and then I saw something in the sky so I chased it, but I went too fast and I tripped and fell hard. That's it."

"That's it?" Her father's face scrunched as he pondered. "What was this I heard about a ghost?"

"It wasn't ghost." Her eyes darted back to Toothless for only a second. "It was a dragon- a white dragon."

"A white dragon?" His eyes sparkled with curiosity, also meeting the gaze of his Night Fury for a moment of contemplation with his adventure companion. "Incredible."

Akalya's eyes lightened. "Incredible? So, you believe me?"

That Haddock winning smile smeared over his mouth. "You know, there was a time when the only known dragons in the world were the Gronckles and the Deadly Nadder's."

"No way." Akalya balled her fists, fighting away the eager need to jump up in her bed.

"Do you know why we moved to Dragon's Edge?"

Akalya shook her head.

"To learn more about dragons and we found more new species than we ever imagined there to be." Akalya's pain subsided as her curiosity mixed with hope and wonder. "If you say you found an albino dragon, I believe you."

The seven-year-old used what little strength she had left to reach up and wrap her arms around her father's neck and give him a little squeeze as thanks for his understanding. Hiccup's hand supported her back as he returned the embrace. The moment was sweetly lived, but it couldn't last forever. Hiccup helped Akalya back into a resting position and his facade shifted into a darker shade. Akalya's smiled faded as she grew nervous.

"I have to leave tomorrow," Hiccup reminded her. "You're going to be here with your mom and I want you-"

"I'm not going to pretend to be nice-"

"Akalya-"

"No," she protested. "It's not fair."

"Just listen to me," Hiccup tried not to raise his voice. "She's scared, okay? And for your mother that's the end of the world... to be scared. Imagine how she felt when Heather brought you back looking like _that_." He gestured to all of her.

Akalya felt the fabric of her bandages with her little fingers, trying to avoid eye contact with her father. She always liked to see her mother as the 'bad guy', but she failed to realise that sometimes she was the 'bad guy' and this time she screwed up. "I'm sorry." She whispered finally.

"You should tell her that." Hiccup kissed the top of her head gingerly before making his departure, but right as he was getting ready to walk out the door, Akalya had him stop.

"Daddy?"

He turned to look over his shoulder.

"Will you tell Mama to come see me, please?"

Hiccup smiled, "be right back."

xXx

Akalya waited with her loyal Night Fury until the empty door was no longer empty. Hiccup was the first to emerge from the shadows. He pushed the door open and in followed the Fearless Astrid Hofferson. Her face was pale and her eyes were blotched pink. Maybe her father was right about her mother: Akalya had scared her.

The feeling. That feeling her mother felt every time Akalya walked out the door. Akalya recognised that fear. She knew what that was like. She felt it every time she walked out of the house, every time they hosted banquets in the Great Hall with the entire village, every time she walked by the school, and every time she came home after another 'accident' soon after to be disciplined with disappointment.

The door swayed back towards her parents. Hiccup's palm flattened against the front of the door and held it firm until Astrid was at her daughter's bedside. Her father remained at the door, looking clumsily around the room, bouncing his gaze off the ladies in his life and the objects around the room, trying to avoid direct 'spying' or 'eavesdropping' on the informal apology. Toothless, however, didn't care about being nonchalant. He sat on the other side of the bed and looked back and forth between the two Hoffersons with big blooming emerald orbs.

"I thought you'd be too mad to come up here," Akalya said finally as Astrid sat at the edge of the mattress. Toothless pinned his head on the child.

Shaking her head, "never too mad to check up on my daughter." Toothless's head swivelled towards the mother.

Akalya's lips pinned a sincere smile as she readjusted the position of her legs under the covers. Her fingers twindled over the edge of her sheets and her eyes darted across the fur blankets over her feet. There was a long pause and a painful amount of ringing against the walls of the room as the silence continued to grow. "Heather said-" Akalya had to stop herself. She had jumped immediately into excuses rather than apologies. "I'm sorry I left school." She began, slowly and tempered with uneven breaths. "And…" she couldn't find the air to support the rest of her sentence. "I'm sorry for scaring you." She looked up then without moving her head.

Her mother greeted her with a forgiving smile right before she kissed the child's forehead, enveloping the little girl in her slender grip. With her cheek resting against her daughter's head, Astrid whispered, "Just try not to do it again."

Her eyes closed then and Akalya fell deep into the warmth of her mother's embrace. It had been a long time since she had this sensation when clinging to her mother. It was so rare now.

"Okay," Hiccup finally stepped into the room. His hand gripped his wife's shoulder blade closest to him, signaling for Astrid to release their broken daughter. "You need to rest." He looked at Akalya, almost as a warning, as parents sometimes looked.

"Do you promise to wake me up before you leave tomorrow no matter what?" Akalya pouted.

The Chief nodded, "Well I kind of have to. You have my dragon." Toothless warbled a sweet low tune in agreement, nestling himself deeper into the mattress, nudging his nose between one of the furs along the end of the bed and covering his head. "Now, go to bed. _Please_."

Hiccup's hand fell from Astrid's shoulder as she stood up from the bed and moved quietly after her husband, but not before she placed another goodnight kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "Goodnight, baby girl."

"Goodnight Mama."

xXx

It was only minutes. Minutes that were spent rearranging their room and preparing themselves for the night. Astrid hung up her armour and hid her axe in the chest, while Hiccup undressed and began to work on the wiring of his mangled foot. The only source of light was the candle on Hiccup's side of the bed. The window only welcomed darkness and even the stars weren't blinking that night.

"Do you really think it's going to be okay while you're gone?"

Hiccup tried to look distracted as he pulled back the furs on the mattress and sat at the edge of the bed. "I think that you're going to have to play mom while I'm gone." He bent over his knees to unhinge the metallic stub attached to his ankle.

Unamused, Astrid wacked her husband over the head with the pillow she was currently fluffing.

"Ow." He complained as the metallic foot was slid under the bed. "You know what I mean." Hiccup pulled back the sheets as he slipped into bed.

"Your mother is staying, right?" Astrid moved between the sheets and wiggled next to her husband, laying her head on his slender shoulder.

Hiccup's throat uttered a sort of chuckle in response, but it was suppressed by his desire to remain seriously authoritative. That often proved difficult when he was talking to his wife. "Promise me, Astrid."

She lifted her eyes to meet his. Brilliant blue melted with gem green. "I can take care of her," she assured him; her voice soft and subtle.

"Lately-"

"I'm fine," Astrid insisted, begging her husband not to finish the rest of that sentence. "Can't you and your mother let it go? Can't the whole village let it go?" She turned away from the warmth of their proximity and rolled onto her other side, looking at the window instead of Hiccup.

"Astrid…" His voice was desperate, but lost. His hands brushed against the lengths of her arms as he turned over to mimic her physique's position. He kissed the tip of her exposed shoulder and wrapped his arms gingerly around Astrid's waist. "I worry about you."

"I'm tired of people worrying about me." She tried to pull away, but there was no more room on the bed left for her to squirm into.

"I'm sorry," he loosened his grip, but refused to give into her squirmish defences. "But it's embedded in me now. As Mr. Hofferson." He smirked, a playful jest, daring to kiss the blonde's earlobe.

Astrid cracked a smile, immediately trying to straighten it before her husband saw. "Stop it." She shoved him half-heartedly, which only encouraged him to continue this unusually youthful behaviour. Pulling her back to his chest, Hiccup leaned over and placed a kiss directly on her lips. "Hiccup-" But he pulled her back to him.

"It'll be okay." He kissed her again. "You'll be okay." He kissed her jaw. "She'll be okay." He kissed down to her neck. "It'll all be okay." He reached back to her lips.

"Promise?"

Hiccup pulled back to find her gaze. His face fell flat, serious and 'chiefly'. "I promise." His voice was quiet, but firm. Every word was pronounced perfectly and sickly slow. Astrid wasn't smiling anymore. Her eyes locked with the Chief's right before their lips fell together beautifully and the rest of the night was theirs.

* * *

Keep in mind that I'm used to writing scripts, which are far less descriptive and really dialogue heavy. Hopefully this doesn't deter any of you from continuing to read the rest of the my story and future stories to come.


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